Methods and compositions to treat and detect misfolded-sod1 mediated diseases

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a method for treating a medical condition, disease, or disorder mediated by a misfolded form of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in a subject in need of treatment. The method optionally comprises administering to the subject a composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and an agent selected from (1) an exogenous antibody or fragment thereof that binds selectively to the misfolded form of SOD, and/or (2) an immunogen that elicits production of an endogenous antibody that binds selectively to the misfolded form of SOD, and/or (3) a nucleic acid sequence encoding (1) or (2). In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods of treating diseases such as Alzheimer&#39;s Disease, Parkinson&#39;s Disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using amyotrophic disease-specific epitopes, and compositions including these epitopes. The invention also provides antibodies that bind to monomeric or misfolded SOD1, and not on the molecular surface of native homodimeric SOD1. In addition, the invention includes methods of diagnosing Alzheimer&#39;s Disease, Parkinson&#39;s Disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a subject. Also, the invention provides methods of identifying substances for the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer&#39;s Disease, Parkinson&#39;s Disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and kits using the binding proteins of the invention.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 60/798,727, filed May 9, 2006; U.S. provisional application Ser. No.60/798,728, filed May 9, 2006; and U.S. provisional application Ser. No.60/778,379, filed Mar. 3, 2006 which are each incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to methods and compositions for treating anddetecting conditions, diseases and disorders mediated by non-nativeSOD1, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease andParkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Protein Misfolding and Aggregation

Proteins can fold into complex and close-packed structures. Folding isnot only crucial for biological activity but failure of proteins to foldproperly or remain folded can give rise to disease (reviewed in 48).Misfolding can in some cases cause protein aggregation which can furthergive rise to discrete deposits extracellularly (e.g., plaques) orintracellularly (e.g., inclusions in the cytosol or nucleus).

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson'sdisease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) and prion diseases are characterized by neural deposits ofmisfolded aggregated protein (reviewed in 49).

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD),Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) andParkinson's disease/Lewy body dementia (PD, LBD) also pose majorchallenges to our aging population and health care system.

Sporadic AD, ALS, and PD/LBD are all associated with neural accumulationof pathological multimers of misfolded polypeptides (these couldpotentially be fibrils, protofilaments, and amorphous aggregates),including the amyloid-beta (Abeta) fragment of the amyloid precursorprotein (APP) in AD; superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) in ALS, AD, and PD,and alpha-synuclein in PD and LBD. Additionally familial amyloidoticpolyneuropathy (FAP) results from the aggregation of transthyretin toform amyloid deposits. As with prion diseases, mutations in genesencoding these polypeptides are associated with autosomal dominantfamilial forms of AD, ALS, and PD.

ALS and Protein Misfolding

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neuromuscular diseasewhich afflicts about 30,000 patients in North America, with 5,000 newcases per year. In ALS, also known as “Lou Gehrig's disease,” muscles ofthe limbs, speech and swallowing, and respiration weaken and atrophy,due to degeneration of motor nerve cells that supply them from thespinal cord and brain. Half of affected patients are dead within 3years, with survival over 5 years being less than 20%.

ALS belongs to a family of fatal neurodegenerative disorders, whichincludes prion illnesses, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and inwhich aggregated misfolded proteins are thought to cause progressivekilling of brain cells. About 20% of familial (inherited) ALS isassociated with mutations in the gene encoding superoxide dismutase 1(SOD1), an intracellular free radical defense enzyme (see 73 and Table 1for listing of known mutations). Intracellular deposits of aggregatedmisfolded SOD1 have been observed in familial ALS, and also in the morecommon non-familial (sporadic) ALS, suggesting that SOD1 aggregation mayunderlie all ALS.

Experiments performed in cell culture and mice transgenic for humanmutant SOD1 have established that extracellular misfolded SOD1 is highlytoxic for motor neurons (1), in part by activation of killing pathwaysby local immune cells (microglia). Recently, it has also become clearthat misfolded SOD1 is exported from the cell by both secretory andconstitutive mechanisms (1, 2).

Aggregation of SOD1 may progress through a protein-basedtemplate-directed misfolding mechanism (3) similar to that proposed forthe prion diseases (4). Thus, misfolded SOD1 in the extracellular spaceis not only directly toxic for motor neurons, but may also participatein the cell-to-cell propagation of disease throughout the nervous systemby a prion-like templated misfolding process. TABLE 1 Detected Mutationsin SOD1 in FALS. Amino Acid Mutation 4 A -> S (in FALS). 4 A -> T (inFALS). 4 A -> V (in FALS). 6 C -> F (in FALS). 7 V -> E (in FALS). 8 L-> Q (in FALS). 8 L -> V (in FALS). 12 G -> R (in FALS). 14 V -> G (inFALS). 14 V -> M (in FALS). 16 G -> S (in ALS). 21 E -> G (in FALS). 21E -> K (in FALS). 37 G -> R (in FALS. 38 L -> R (in FALS). 38 L -> V (inFALS). 41 G -> D (in FALS). 41 G -> S (in FALS). 43 H -> R (in FALS). 45F -> C (in FALS). 46 H -> R (in FALS). 48 H -> Q (in FALS). 49 E -> K(in FALS). 65 N -> S (in FALS). 67 L -> R (in FALS). 72 G -> S (inFALS). 76 D -> Y (in FALS). 80 H -> A (in ALS). 84 L -> F (in FALS). 84L -> V (in FALS). 85 G -> R (in FALS). 86 N -> S (in FALS). 89 A -> V(in FALS). 90 D -> A (in FALS). 90 D -> V (in FALS). 93 G -> A (inFALS). 93 G -> C (in FALS). 93 G -> D (in FALS). 93 G -> R (in FALS). 93G -> V (in FALS). 100 E -> G (in FALS). 100 E -> K (in FALS). 101 D -> G(in FALS). 101 D -> N (in FALS). 104 I -> F (in FALS). 105 S -> L (inFALS). 106 L -> V (in FALS). 108 G -> V (in FALS). 112 I -> M (in FALS).112 I -> T (in FALS). 113 I -> T (in FALS). 114 G -> A (in FALS). 115 R-> G (in FALS). 118 V -> VFLQ (in FALS). 124 D -> V (in FALS). 125 D ->H (in FALS). 126 L -> S (in FALS). 133 Missing (in ALS). 134 S -> N (inFALS). 139 N -> K (in FALS). 144 L -> F (in FALS). 144 L -> S (in FALS).145 A -> T (in FALS). 146 C -> R (in FALS). 148 V -> G (in FALS). 148 V-> I (in FALS). 149 I -> T (in FALS). 151 I -> T (in FALS).

AD is a common dementing (disordered memory and cognition)neurodegenerative disease associated with brain accumulation ofextracellular plaques composed predominantly of the Abeta (1-40), Abeta(1-42) and Abeta (1-43) peptides, all of which are proteolytic productsof APP (reviewed in 50) In addition, neurofibrillary tangles, composedprincipally of abnormally phosphorylated tau protein (a neuronalmicrotubule-associated protein), accumulate intracellularly in dyingneurons (reviewed in 49). Familial forms of AD can be caused bymutations in the APP gene, or in the presenilin 1 or 2 genes (reviewedin 51), the protein products of which are implicated in the processingof APP to Abeta. Apolipoprotein E allelic variants also influence theage at onset of both sporadic and familial forms of AD (reviewed in 52).Abeta, tau and phosphorylated tau has been detected in the blood and CSFof AD patients and in normal controls (53-55). Immunization ofAlzheimer's disease patients with Abeta has shown some promisingpreliminary treatment results, although limited by autoimmunemeningoencephalitis in humans (56-58)

Parkinson's Disease

PD is a neurodegenerative movement disorder, second only to AD inprevalence (˜350 per 100,000 population; reviewed in 59). It isclinically characterized by rigidity, slowness of movement, and tremor.Most cases of Parkinson's disease are sporadic, but both sporadic andfamilial forms of the disease are characterized by intracellular Lewybodies in dying neurons of the substantia nigra, a population ofmidbrain neurons (˜60,000) that are selectively decimated in PD. Lewybodies are predominantly composed of alpha-synuclein (60). Mutations in,and duplication of, the gene encoding alpha-synuclein have been found inpatients with familial Parkinson's disease (reviewed in 61). Anothergene associated with autosomal recessive PD is parkin, which is involvedin alpha-synuclein degradation (61). Diffuse cortical Lewy bodiescomposed of alpha-synuclein are observed in Lewy body disease (LBD), adementing syndrome associated with parkinsonian tone changes,hallucinations, and rapid symptom fluctuation (62). LBD may be thesecond most common form of neurodegenerative dementia after AD,accounting for 20 to 30 percent of cases among persons over the age of60 years. Similar to the vaccine approach to Alzheimer's disease (58-60)promising results in a mouse model of Parkinson's/Lewy body disease havebeen obtained by immunization with alpha synuclein (63). Other dementingsyndromes include fronto-termporal dementias, Pick's disease, andcorticobasal dementia, and others known to neurological medicine.

SOD1 has been Detected in AD and PD Protein Aggregates

Oxidative stress has been implicated in several neurodegenerativediseases, including ALS, PD and AD. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species(ROS and RNS respectively) generated in these environments mayparticipate in cell injury including the abnormal oxidation of proteinsor lipids. Other pathological hallmarks of such disease includecytoskeletal debris accumulations and selective neuronal death,frequently attributed to oxidative stress and the accumulated insolubleprotein (74-81). Several enzymes including SOD1 have antioxidant roles.Alterations in the activity of such enzymes may contribute to aneurodegenerative disease state.

Recently, Choi et al. (64) reported that SOD1 is a major target ofoxidative damage in AD and PD brains. They noted that the total level ofSOD1 is increased in both AD and PD and that SOD1 forms proteinaceousaggregates that are associated with amyloid senile plaques andneurofibrillary tangles in AD brains. Choi et al. (64) have suggestedthat AD, PD and ALS may share a common pathogenic mechanism. It has alsorecently been shown that SOD1 is secreted into the extracellular space,in a form which is toxic to neurons, but more accessible byextracellular therapeutic agents (1).

The implication that extracellular misfolded SOD1 plays a role in ALSpathogenesis provides an opportunity for the antibody treatment ofneurodegenerative diseases, as this compartment is accessible toantibody neutralization. In normal humans, IgGs can cross the bloodbrain barrier to levels between 1/100 and 1/1000 that of circulatingconcentrations; and transudation of immunoglobulins is often increasedin diseases affecting the blood brain barrier. However, treatment ofhuman patients with antibodies or vaccines targeted to accessibleextracellular epitopes on ubiquitous proteins may lead to deleteriousautoimmune effects such as those seen with Abeta in Alzheimer disease.Thus, there remains a need in the art for compositions and methods fordiagnosis and treatment of misfolded SOD1-related diseases, such as ALS,AD and PD.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Misfolded SOD1 is toxic to neurons (1) and is believed to participate inneuronal cell death and dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis andother neurodegenerative diseases. The present invention uses SOD1disease-specific epitopes (DSEs) as a target for vaccines orimmunotherapy for these diseases, including amyotrophic lateralsclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD) and Lewy bodydiseases (LBD). The invention isolates and targets epitopes that arepresented selectively by non-native forms of SOD1 that are associatedwith SOD1-mediated conditions, diseases and disorders such as ALS andother neurodegenerative diseases. These epitopes are not presented oraccessible in native forms of SOD1. For example, disease specificepitopes such as ALS-specific, AD-specific and PD-specific epitopes arenot presented by the native dimeric forms of SOD1. However, diseasespecific epitopes are presented or accessible when the SOD1 monomereither fails to associate or dissociates from its normal, homodimericstate, and in other non-native forms of SOD1, including misfolded SOD1monomers, misfolded SOD1 dimers and SOD1 aggregates. These epitopes areselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1, and arecharacteristic of non-native-SOD1 related conditions, diseases anddisorders.

In this application, “ALS-specific” epitopes refers to epitopes that arepresented on the ALS-associated forms of SOD1, “AD-specific” epitopesrefers to epitopes that are presented on the AD-associated forms ofSOD1, and “PD-specific” epitopes refers to epitopes that are presentedon the PD-associated forms of SOD1 that arise from processes such asmisfolding, aggregation or dissociation. Misfolded SOD1 presents many ofthe same epitopes in each of ALS, AD and PD however, for convenienceherein, the epitopes are described as “specific” to that diseasebecause, within the body of a particular subject, the epitopes arespecifically presented only on the non-native toxic SOD1 that causes,underlies or is associated with the neurodegenerative disease. Suchdisease-specific epitopes thus include the epitopes on SOD1 monomer thatare revealed when the SOD1 monomer dissociates from its normal,homodimeric state, the epitopes selectively presented or accessible innon-native SOD1 forms including misfolded SOD1 monomer, misfolded SOD1dimer, and the epitopes selectively presented or accessible in SOD1aggregates.

In certain embodiments, the epitopes which are presented by oraccessible on non-native forms of SOD1 include: DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS(DSE2) (WO 2005/019828); NPLSRKHGGPKDEE (DSE3) (WO 2005/019828);IKGLTEGLHGF (DSE5) (8); HCIIGRTLVVH (DSE6) (8); and GLHGFHVH (DSE7),

as well as the additional epitopes which are presented by or accessibleonly on monomeric forms of SOD1, which include: RLACGVIGI (DSE1); andKAVCVLK (DSE4).

The present invention uses these epitopes, and/or antigenic determinantscontained within these epitopes, and similarly any epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1, as targets forimmunotherapeutic intervention. For example, isolated peptidescorresponding to these epitopes are useful to reduce or inhibitparticipation of monomeric, dimeric or misfolded SOD1 in SOD1aggregation, which is characteristic of misfolded-SOD1 relateddisorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's diseaseand/or Parkinson's disease. Accordingly, isolated peptides correspondingto these epitopes can be used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,Alzheimer's disease and/or Parkinson's disease and can be used to elicita selective immune response in an animal against the monomeric,aggregated or misfolded SOD1 molecules, and to inhibit or neutralize thetoxic effect of these misfolded SOD1 species on neurons. In the casewhere the isolated peptide corresponding to a disease specific epitopeis used in a vaccine, the isolated peptide can be any analog of thenoted isolated peptides that yields endogenous antibody to that epitope.In addition, the inventor provides binding proteins such as antibodiesand fragments that bind to the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitopes, antibodies and fragments that bind Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitopes and antibodies and fragments that bindParkinson's disease-specific epitopes. These antibodies can be used todetect or treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, andParkinson's disease.

Accordingly, the invention includes a composition useful for inhibitingSOD1 aggregation mediated by monomeric, or misfolded SOD1, and thus fortreating SOD1 disorders including neurodegenerative diseases such asamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and/or Parkinson'sdisease.

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention is a composition for treating aneurodegenerative disease such as ALS, AD or PD in a subject comprisingan effective amount of an isolated peptide corresponding to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1(optionally referred to as a disease-specific epitope), or an immunogencomprising such an peptide, in admixture with a suitable, such as apharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier. Another aspect of theinvention is a composition for treating ALS in a subject comprising aneffective amount of an isolated peptide corresponding to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1, or ananalog thereof that elicits endogenous antibody that binds that epitopeor an immunogen comprising such isolated peptide, in admixture with asuitable, such as a pharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier. Afurther aspect of the invention is a composition for treating AD in asubject, comprising an effective amount of an isolated peptidecorresponding to an epitope selectively presented or associated withnon-native forms of SOD1, or an analog thereof that elicits endogenousantibody that binds that epitope or an immunogen comprising suchisolated peptide or analog, in admixture with a suitable, such as apharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier. Yet a further aspect ofthe invention is a composition for treating PD in a subject, comprisingan effective amount of an isolated peptide corresponding to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1, or animmunogen comprising such peptide, in admixture with a suitable, such asa pharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier.

In a preferred embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1is selected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table2 or in Table 2A (described below), or an analog thereof. TABLE 2Isolated Peptides Corresponding to Epitopes Selectively Accessible inNon-native Forms of SOD1 RLACGVIGI (SEQ ID NO: 1, DSE1):DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (SEQ ID NO: 2, DSE2); NPLSRKHGGPKDEE; (SEQ ID NO: 3,DSE3): IKGLTEGLHGF; SEQ ID NO: 5, DSE5); HCIIGRTLVVH; SEQ ID NO: 6,DSE6); RLA[Cysteic acid]GVIGI (DSE1a); SEQ ID NO: 8, DSE1a); KAVCVLK(DSE4); SEQ ID NO: 4, DSE4) and GLHGFHVH (DSE7) SEQ ID NO: 7, DSE7).These isolated peptides listed in Table 2 are referred to herein as the“Table 2 isolated peptides”.

One aspect of the invention is a pharmaceutical composition for treatingamyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a subject comprising an effectiveamount of an isolated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope, oran immunogen comprising such epitope, in admixture with a suitable, suchas a pharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier. In one embodiment,the epitope or an immunogenic form thereof is selectively presented oraccessible in the monomeric form of SOD1. Such epitopes include thosewhich recognize a SOD1 monomer epitope that lies normally in the SOD1dimer interface. Other such epitopes are those accessible on the surfaceof SOD1 when the SOD1 monomers are in their normal associated state,e.g., when SOD is in its dimer form, or when in its aggregated form. Inparticular embodiments, the isolated peptide corresponding to anamyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope is selected from thegroup consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or ananalog thereof.

Another aspect of the invention is a pharmaceutical composition fortreating Alzheimer's disease in a subject comprising an effective amountof an isolated Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope, or an immunogencomprising such epitope, in admixture with a suitable, such as apharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier. In one embodiment, theepitope or an immunogenic form thereof is selectively presented oraccessible in the monomeric form of SOD. Such epitopes include thosewhich recognize a SOD monomer epitope that lies normally in the SODdimer interface. Other such SOD epitopes are those accessible on thesurface of SOD when in its dimer form, or when in its aggregated form.In particular embodiments, the isolated peptide corresponding to anAlzheimer's disease-specific epitope is selected from the groupconsisting of the Table 2 or Table 2A isolated peptides.

A further aspect of the invention is a pharmaceutical composition of thepresent invention, for treating Parkinson's disease in a subject.

Analogs of the isolated peptides and modified isolated peptides are alsouseful. Analogs and modified isolated peptides comprise in vivooccurring and molecularly engineered peptides corresponding to theepitopes presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 whichretain the capacity to elicit production of antibodies that specificallyrecognize the corresponding epitopes in monomeric, misfolded oraggregated forms of SOD1. In one embodiment the isolated peptide analogcomprises a cysteic acid. In one embodiment the analog isolated peptidecorresponding to an epitope comprises RLAC*GVIGI (DSE1a), wherein *denotes an oxidized cysteine, in the form of cysteic acid.

An additional aspect of the invention is a composition for treating aSOD1 mediated disorder, disease or condition comprising an effectiveamount of an isolated nucleic acid that encodes for a peptide or analogcorresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier. Another aspect of the invention is a composition for treatingamyotrophic lateral sclerosis comprising an effective amount of anisolated nucleic acid that encodes for a peptide corresponding to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier. A further aspect of theinvention is a composition for treating Alzheimer's disease orParkinson's disease comprising an effective amount of an isolatednucleic acid that encodes for a peptide corresponding to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 inadmixture with a suitable diluent or carrier.

In a preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid encodes an isolated peptidecorresponding to an epitope selected from the group consisting of theisolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

One particular aspect of the invention is a composition for treatingamyotrophic lateral sclerosis comprising an effective amount of anucleic acid that encodes for an isolated peptide corresponding to anamyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope in admixture with asuitable diluent or carrier, wherein the isolated peptide correspondingto the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope is selected fromthe group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, oran analog thereof.

These compositions can be used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,Alzheimer's disease and/or Parkinson's disease and in methods to treatamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and/or Parkinson'sdisease.

The compositions are useful particularly for treating aneurodegenerative disease using immunotherapy directed at an epitopepresented in misfolded SOD1, wherein the treatment comprises eitheractive immunotherapy i.e., vaccine-based therapy in which the isolatedpeptide corresponding to an epitope is used in an immunogen to elicitantibodies which recognize monomeric or misfolded SOD1 in the recipient,or comprise passive immunotherapy in which an antibody to the isolatedpeptide corresponding to the epitope is administered to the recipient.The composition is typically a pharmaceutical composition.

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention includes a composition foreliciting an immune response in an animal comprising an effective amountof an isolated peptide corresponding to an epitope presented innon-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier. The medical condition, disease or disorder includes, but is notlimited to, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease andParkinson's disease.

Another aspect of the invention is a composition for eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal comprising an effective amount of an isolatedpeptide corresponding to an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitope in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier, wherein theisolated peptide corresponding to the amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope is selected from the group consisting of theisolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

In one aspect, the composition is a pharmaceutical composition fortreating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a subject by activeimmunization, comprising an effective amount of an isolated peptidecorresponding to an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope, oran immunogen comprising such an isolated peptide corresponding to saidepitope, in admixture with a suitable vehicle, such as apharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier. In one embodiment, theisolated peptide or an immunogenic form thereof corresponds to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in the monomeric form ofSOD1. Such epitopes include those epitopes in SOD1 monomer whichnormally lie in the SOD1 dimer interface. Other such epitopes are thoseaccessible on the surface of SOD1 when in its dimer form, or when SOD1is in its aggregated form. In particular embodiments, the isolatedpeptide corresponding to an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitope is selected from the group consisting of the isolated peptidesin Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Another aspect of the invention is a pharmaceutical composition fortreating Alzheimer's disease in a subject by active immunization,comprising an effective amount of an isolated peptide corresponding toan Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope, or an immunogen comprising suchisolated peptide, in admixture with a suitable, such as apharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier. In one embodiment, theisolated peptide or an immunogenic form thereof corresponds to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in the monomeric form ofSOD1. Such epitopes include those epitopes in SOD1 monomer whichnormally lie in the SOD1 dimer interface. Other such epitopes are thoseaccessible on the surface of SOD1 when in its dimer form, or when in itsaggregated form. In particular embodiments, the isolated peptidecorresponding to an Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope is selectedfrom the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table2A, or an analog thereof.

A further aspect of the invention is a pharmaceutical composition fortreating Parkinson's disease in a subject by active immunization,comprising an effective amount of an isolated peptide corresponding to aParkinson's disease-specific epitope, or an immunogen comprising suchisolated peptide, in admixture with a suitable, such as apharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier. In one embodiment, theisolated peptide or an immunogenic form thereof corresponds to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in the monomeric form ofSOD1. Such epitopes include those which recognize a SOD1 monomer epitopethat lies normally in the SOD1 dimer interface. Other such epitopes arethose accessible on the surface of SOD1 when in its dimer form, or whenin its aggregated form. In particular embodiments, the isolated peptidecorresponding to a Parkinson's disease-specific epitope is selected fromthe group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, oran analog thereof.

One aspect of the invention includes a composition for eliciting animmune response in an animal comprising an effective amount of a nucleicacid encoding a peptide corresponding to an epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1, in admixture with asuitable diluent or carrier. The medical condition, disease or disorderis a SOD1 disorder such as a neurodegenerative disease that includes,but is not limited to, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer'sdisease and Parkinson's disease.

A further aspect of the invention is a composition for eliciting animmune response in an animal comprising an effective amount of a nucleicacid encoding an isolated peptide corresponding to an amyotrophiclateral sclerosis-specific epitope in admixture with a suitable diluentor carrier, wherein the isolated peptide corresponding to a amyotrophiclateral sclerosis-specific epitope is selected from the group consistingof the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

These compositions are useful to elicit an immune response in an animaland are useful in methods to elicit an immune response in an animalagainst non-native forms of SOD1, including an immune response againstamyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopes, Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitopes and/or Parkinson's disease-specific epitopes.

These compositions are useful to generate binding proteins such asantibodies against non-native forms of SOD1, including antibodies thatbind amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopes, Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitopes and/or Parkinson's disease-specific epitopes.

Accordingly, the invention includes exogenous antibodies specific fornon-native forms of SOD1, including amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitopes, Alzheimer's disease-specific epitopesand/or Parkinson's disease-specific epitopes.

In one embodiment, the antibodies specific for non-native forms of SOD1are produced using a composition comprising an isolated peptidecorresponding to a disease-specific epitope selected from the groupconsisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analogthereof.

In one embodiment, the antibody binds to the epitope RLACGVIGI. Inanother embodiment the antibody binds to the epitope DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS.In another embodiment the antibody binds to the epitope NPLSRKHGGPKDEE.In yet another embodiment the antibody binds to the epitope IKGLTEGLHGF.In another embodiment the antibody binds to the epitope HCIIGRTLVVH. Inanother embodiment the antibody binds to the epitope RLAC*GVIGI. Inanother embodiment the antibody binds to the epitope KAVCVLK. In yetanother embodiment the antibody binds to the epitope GLHGFHVH.

The antibodies of the invention may be polyclonal antibodies, monoclonalantibodies, chimeric antibodies, humanized antibodies, human antibodies,and/or epitope binding fragments and analogs thereof. The inventionfurther comprises hybridomas that produce antibodies to DSE1a, DSE2 andDSE5. Embodiments of the present invention include the hybridomas perse, as well as progeny thereof, subsequent fusions therewith, andendogenous DNA and RNA that encodes the SOD1 antibody. In relatedaspects, the invention thus further provides a method for producing SOD1antibodies, comprising the step of culturing the hybridomas. Theseantibodies are useful to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by passiveimmunization. In another embodiment, these antibodies are useful totreat Alzheimer's disease. In a further embodiment, these antibodies areuseful to treat Parkinson's disease. For example, they inhibit orneutralize the toxic effect of these misfolded SOD1 species on neurons,and/or they prevent disease progression by immunological clearing oftoxic SOD aggregates, by inhibiting SOD1 aggregation mediated bymisfolded SOD1, and/or by blocking the SOD1 template directed misfoldingprocess. Thus, the invention includes compositions useful to treatamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and/or Parkinson'sdisease in a subject comprising an effective amount of an antibodyspecific for an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope,Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope or Parkinson's disease-specificepitope respectively, in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier.

In addition to antibodies, other agents that bind specifically toepitopes presented or accessible on non-native forms of SOD1 and notpresented or accessible on native forms of SOD1 are also provided.Agents that bind include polypeptides, small molecules, nucleic andpeptide aptamers, affibodies and anticalins.

More generally, the invention thus comprises a method for treating asubject having a medical condition, disease, or disorder mediated by anon-native form of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the method comprising thestep of administering to the subject a composition comprising apharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and an agent selected from (1) aprotein in the form of an antibody or fragment thereof that bindsselectively to the monomeric or misfolded form of SOD1, and/or (2) animmunogen that elicits production of said antibody by said subject,and/or (3) a nucleic acid sequence encoding (1) or (2).

The methods of the present invention thus relate to immunotherapeuticapplications of SOD1 antibodies that bind selectively to epitopesaccessible on the monomeric or misfolded forms of SOD1 present indisease states. The method can be conducted as monotherapy, in which anyone antibody or any one epitope is administered to the subject. In thealternative, the method can be conducted as a combination therapy, inwhich the subject is treated to receive both a selected antibody orpeptide corresponding to an epitope and another agent useful in thetreatment or management of the disease.

These antibodies are useful to detect non-native forms of monomeric,dimeric or aggregated forms of SOD1, and thereby are useful to diagnoseamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson'sdisease. In one embodiment, the invention includes a method of detectingor diagnosing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a subject comprising thesteps of:

-   -   (a) contacting a test sample of said subject with an antibody        specific for an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope,        wherein the antibody binds to an amyotrophic lateral        sclerosis-specific epitope to produce an antibody-antigen        complex;    -   (b) measuring the amount of the antibody-antigen complex in the        test sample; and    -   (c) comparing the amount of antibody-antigen complex in the test        sample to a control        wherein a difference in the amount of antibody-antigen complex        in the test sample as compared to the control is indicative of        amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Optionally, and in the case where        the misfolded SOD1 epitope is masked within a SOD1 aggregation,        the method provides for the step of treating the sample to        promote disaggregation of the SOD1 aggregate to expose the        target epitope prior to step (a). In an alternate embodiment,        the invention provides a method of detecting or diagnosing        Alzheimer's disease. In another embodiment, the invention        provides a method for detecting or diagnosing Parkinson's        disease.

These antibodies and/or binding fragments thereof are usefullyconjugated to labels to produce a diagnostic agent.

The invention also includes kits comprising the compositions andantibodies of the invention to treat neurogenerative diseases such asamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson'sdisease for instance to inhibit SOD1 aggregation; to elicit an immuneresponse in an animal; or to detect misfolded SOD1, and thereby todiagnose a neurodegenerative disease such as amyotrophic lateralsclerosis, Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease.

In a further aspect the invention provides novel isolated peptides. Inone embodiment the novel isolated peptides comprise peptides comprisingan amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: RLACGVIGI(SEQ ID NO: 1, DSE1) ACGVIGI (SEQ ID NO: 9, DSE1 analog)Ac-GG-RLACGVIG-GGKG (SEQ ID NO: 10, DSE1 analog) CDLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS(SEQ ID NO: 11, DSE2 analog) CNPLSRKHGGPKDEE (SEQ ID NO: 12, DSE3analog) CIKGLTEGLHGF (SEQ ID NO: 14, DSE5 analog) RLA[Cysteic acid]GVIGI(SEQ ID NO: 8, DSE1a) A[Cysteic acid]GVIGI (SEQ ID NO: 13, DSE1a analog)C-GGG-RLA[Cysteic acid]GVIGI-GSG (SEQ ID NO: 15, DSE1a analog) KAVCVLK(SEQ ID NO: 4, DSE4); GSGKAVCLK (SEQ ID NO: 16, DSE 4 analog); andGLHGFHVH (SEQ ID NO: 7, DSE7).

In another embodiment the invention comprises novel modified isolatedpeptides comprising RLA[Cysteic acid]GVIGI (SEQ ID NO:8, DSE1a), wherecysteine residue is cysteic acid.

In related aspects, these peptides are provided in labeled form, or asconjugates or fusions e.g. “immunogens” useful to raise antibodies ordetect SOD1 and for other diagnostic and therapeutic uses. Suchimmunogens comprise the peptides coupled, for instance, to KLH or to MAPantigen.

Certain embodiments of the invention relate to a method of i) elicitingan immune response in a subject and/or ii) treating a medical condition,disease, or disorder mediated by a misfolded form of superoxidedismutase (SOD) in a subject in need of treatment, by comprisingadministering a composition comprising a nucleic acid that encodes foran isolated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific immunogen (e.g.peptide) of the invention in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier to the subject. Of course, such nucleic acids will encode onlythose forms of the epitopes and peptides that consist of geneticallyencoded amino acids, but the nucleic acids may also yield, endogenously,analogs of the encoded epitopes that, after being expressed as such,become modified in vivo such as by nitration, oxidation, carbonylationand the like by the endogenous environment. Suitable RNA and DNAnucleotide sequences are set out in this application (other DNAsequences having sequence identity or synonymous codon equivalents arealso useful in the methods). Examples of medical conditions, diseases,or disorders include ALS, Parkinson's Disease, Lewy Body Disease orAlzheimer's Disease. The invention also includes composition fortreating Alzheimer's disease comprising an effective amount of anisolated nucleic acid that encodes for an epitope selectively presentedor accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier.

The invention also relates to a method for i) increasing immunologicalclearing of SOD aggregates, ii) reducing SOD1 aggregation mediated bymisfolded SOD1, and/or iii) reducing SOD1 template directed misfolding,comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising apharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and an agent selected from (1) anisolated exogenous antibody that binds selectively to the misfolded formof SOD, and/or (2) an immunogen that elicits production of an endogenousantibody that binds selectively to the monomer or misfolded form of SOD,and/or (3) a nucleic acid sequence encoding (1) or (2).

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for treating amedical condition, disease, or disorder mediated by a misfolded form ofsuperoxide dismutase (SOD) in a subject in need of treatment, the methodcomprising administering to the subject in need of treatment an agent(such as an exogenous antibody or immunogen (e.g. peptide) of theinvention that i) causes immunological clearing of SOD aggregates, ii)reduces SOD1 aggregation mediated by misfolded SOD1 and/or iii) reducesSOD1 template directed misfolding. The invention also includes methodsof treating medical conditions, diseases, or disorders described hereinby administering to a subject an effective amount of an antibodyspecific for epitopes described herein that are selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description. It should beunderstood, however, that the detailed description and the specificexamples while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Embodiments of the invention will be described in relation to thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a graph demonstrating that anti-DSE1a antibody preferentiallyrecognizes DSE1a over DSE1.

FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating ELISA data showing that anti-DSE2antibody recognizes oxidized SOD1 protein.

FIG. 3A is an antigenicity plot of SOD1 using the Hopp and Woods method.

FIG. 3B is an antigenicity plot of SOD1 using the Kolaskar andTongaonkar method.

FIG. 4A is an immunoblot showing that DSE2 recognizes denatured humanand mouse SOD1.

FIG. 4B is an immunoblot of immunoprecipitated SOD1 from normal humanand murine brain demonstrating that anti-DSE2 antibody does notimmunoprecipitate native SOD1.

FIG. 4C is an immunoblot of immunoprecipitated SOD1 from transgenic miceoverexpressing wild-type and mutant human SOD1.

FIG. 5A is a human brain section of normal hippocampus in a 52-year-oldfemale stained with an antibody to DSE2.

FIG. 5B is a composite of human hippocampus sections from a 78-year-oldfemale with late-stage Alzheimer's disease probed with anti-DSE2monoclonal antibody.

FIG. 6 (A-F) is a composite of brain sections from a 79-year old femalewith dementia probed with anti-DSE2 monoclonal antibody.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides the first immunotherapeutic compositions andmethods which specifically target toxic SOD1 species, including thoseSOD1 confomers which may be associated with neurodegenerative diseases,such as ALS, AD and PD, by identifying and taking therapeutic advantageof immunological epitopes (antibody binding sites) exposed on themolecular surface of misfolded and aggregated SOD1. These epitopes arenot presented in native, normally-folded SOD1. The invention identifiespreviously-unknown epitopes that are useful as targets to designcompounds or elicit antibodies for therapy or diagnostics. The inventionalso provides the first immunotherapeutic use of epitopes previouslyidentified as presented in misfolded and aggregated forms of SOD1 butnot presented in native forms of SOD1 (see 3 and WO 2005/019828, whichare incorporated by reference herein). These epitopes are useful targetsfor passive or active immunotherapy to prevent disease progression.Without wishing to be bound by theory, these epitopes prevent diseaseprogression by immunological clearing or sequestering of toxic SOD1aggregates, blocking the SOD1 template-directed misfolding process,neutralizing the toxic effect of these misfolded SOD1 species onneurons, and/or inhibition of oxidative stress mediated by misfoldedSOD1.

Compositions and Uses of the Disease Specific Epitopes

The inventors have determined that there are epitopes selectivelypresented by, or accessible on, monomeric SOD1 or misfolded forms ofSOD1 in monomeric, dimeric or aggregated forms, but not on the native,properly-folded homodimeric form of SOD1. The misfolded forms of SOD1are characterized by the adoption of a conformation, particularly asecondary or tertiary conformation that is different from theconformation adopted by a wild type SOD1 dimer, and/or participates inthe formation of SOD1 aggregates that are characteristic of SOD1disorders including neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophiclateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Suchmisfolded SOD1 can have a wild type sequence or a mutated sequence. Incertain embodiments, the epitopes are those selectively presented by oraccessible on misfolded SOD1 having a wild type, or native, sequence. Inother embodiments, the epitopes are these selectively presented by oraccessible on misfolded SOD1 having mutated or non-wild type sequence.In other embodiments, the epitope is presented by SOD1 monomer (in anyform including wild type, mutant, misfolded and native), and becomesaccessible on the SOD1 monomer upon dissociation of the monomer from theSOD1 homodimer. Immunological recognition of only misfolded SOD1 willreduce or eliminate autoimmune manifestations caused by antibody bindingto normal native SOD1. Immunological recognition of misfolded SOD1 thatis wild type, in particular, will be useful particularly in thetreatment of sporadic ALS

The term “SOD1” as used herein means superoxide dismutase-1 and includesall analog and mutant forms from all species, particularly human SOD1(i.e. hSOD1) and is optionally referred to as SOD. The amino acidsequence of human SOD1 (e.g. UniProtKB/TrEMBL Accession Number Q6NR85;Genbank Accession number CAG46542; SEQ ID NO:17) and the mRNA nucleotidesequence (e.g. Genbank Accession number NM_(—)000454; SEQ ID NO:18) ofhuman SOD1 have been previously characterized.

“Wild type” refers to the primary amino acid sequence of a native ornon-mutant protein, and wild type SOD1 refers to SOD1, and particularlyhuman SOD1, which may be optionally referred to as hSOD1, having anative or naturally occurring amino acid sequence. The amino acidsequence of human SOD1 is provided in SEQ ID NO:17 and the nucleic acidsequence is provided in SEQ ID NO:18. “Wild type” can also refer to thenormal native structure of a specific protein (e.g. the atomic levelcoordinates of the crystal structure of native dimeric SOD1 protein isavailable at Protein Data Bank Accession Number 1PUO). Wild type foldedSOD1 is optionally referred to as “natively folded” SOD1, “normallyfolded” SOD1 and/or “properly folded” SOD1.

“Mutant SOD” refers to forms of SOD, and particularly endogenous formsof SOD, that occur as a result of genetic mutation that result forinstance in amino acid substitution, such as those substitutionscharacteristic for instance of familial ALS. Such substitutions includethose listed in Table 1.

“Misfolded” as used herein refers to the secondary and tertiarystructure of a protein, and indicates that the protein has adopted aconformation that is not normal for that protein in its properlyfunctioning state. Although misfolding can be caused by mutations in aprotein, such as amino acid deletion, substitution, or addition,wild-type sequence protein can also be misfolded in disease, and exposedisease-specific epitopes for instance, as a result ofmicroenvironmental conditions and/or amino acid modification such asnitration, oxidation, carbonylation or other modification.

In certain embodiments, in the case where the non-native SOD1 is amutant SOD1 such as a form of SOD1 that comprises sequence variationscharacteristic of familial ALS, the non-native SOD1 mutant is other thana mutant where one or more of the amino acids A4, G37, G85, or G93 ismutated.

An “epitope” as used herein means a region of a protein that isrecognized by a B cell or T-cell receptor, or an antibody or a bindingfragment thereof. The epitope is optionally represented herein by thelinear amino acid sequence or the region of the protein recognized bythe antibody. The “isolated peptides corresponding to an epitope” areoptionally themselves referred to as an “epitope”.

An epitope is “accessible” in the context of the present specificationwhen it is accessible to binding by an antibody or a binding fragmentthereof. A disease-specific epitope of the invention may be partially orcompletely exposed on the molecular surface of a misfolded protein in aform accessible to antibody binding, and partially or completelyobscured from antibody recognition in the natively folded isoform of theprotein. Said epitope is presented or accessible selectively in amisfolded or non-native conformation of a protein and not presented oraccessible in the native conformation of the protein. “Selectivelypresented or accessible” is used contextually, to indicate that thereferenced epitope is available for binding to an antibody or otherbinding protein in misfolded SOD1 and not available for antibody bindingin native forms of SOD1. The disease-specific epitope is sufficientlydifferent from a corresponding portion of native, properly-folded SOD1(ie. SOD1 having normal, non-pathogenic SOD1 activity), usually in termsof its conformation, so that an antibody can bind selectively to theepitope.

An epitope comprises one or more antigenic determinants. For example anantibody generated against an isolated peptide corresponding to aspecific disease-specific epitope recognizes part or all of said epitopesequence. Accordingly, in one embodiment a part of an isolated peptidecorresponding to an epitope presented or accessible in misfolded SOD1that retains an antigenic determinant is used to raise antibodies tosaid epitope.

When referring to epitopes of SOD1 selectively presented in ALS theepitopes are optionally referred to as ALS-specific epitopes; whenreferring to epitopes selectively presented in Alzheimer's disease, theepitopes are optionally referred to as AD-specific epitopes andsimilarly when referring to epitopes selectively presented inParkinson's disease, the epitopes are optionally referred to asPD-specific epitopes for ease of reference to the named disease. Howeverit is understood that ALS-specific epitopes of SOD1 are not limited toALS, but are optionally presented in other neurodegenerative diseasessuch as AD and PD; AD-specific epitopes of SOD1 are not limited to AD,but are optionally presented in other neurodegenerative diseases such asALS and PD; and PD-specific SOD1 epitopes are not limited to PD, but areoptionally presented in other neurodegenerative diseases such as AD andALS. Epitopes that are accessible selectively on forms of SOD1 that areassociated with SOD1-mediated conditions, diseases and disorders areoptionally referred to as disease specific epitopes.

An epitope may be selectively recognized by an antibody in oneconformation of a protein and not in a second conformation of theprotein. “Selective” is used contextually, to characterize the bindingproperties of an antibody. An antibody that binds selectively to a givenepitope will bind to that epitope either with greater avidity or withmore specificity, relative to other, different epitopes presented by thesame molecule. For example, an antibody selectively binds a diseasespecific epitope if it binds misfolded SOD1 in which thedisease-specific epitope is accessible, two fold more efficiently thanit binds native SOD1 wherein the disease-specific epitope is notaccessible. In other embodiments, the antibody binds 3-5 fold, 5-7 fold,7-10, 10-15, 5-15, or 5-30 fold more efficiently.

Epitopes that are “disease specific”, in the context of the presentspecification, are epitopes that are presented or accessible selectivelyby one or more misfolded forms of SOD1 that are characteristic of aparticular disease or of a disease category.

Because of the SOD1 disease specificity of these epitopes, they areuseful targets to treat SOD1 mediated disorders, diseases and conditionssuch as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease orParkinson's disease or to elicit an immune response in an animal. Forexample, vaccination of subjects diagnosed with amyotrophic lateralsclerosis, Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease with a compositioncomprising isolated peptides corresponding to the amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitopes, Alzheimer's disease-specific epitopes orParkinson's disease-specific epitopes, respectively, inhibits SOD1aggregate formation in the disease by blocking participation ofmisfolded SOD1 molecular species in the aggregation process and/or byblocking SOD1 templated directed misfolding, or by inducing immunecomplex-based clearing of antibody-bound forms of the misfoldedneurotoxic SOD1 and/or aggregates.

The epitopes selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1 are found in SOD1 associated with neurodegenerative diseases andare useful to treat, diagnose or prevent misfolded-SOD1 relateddiseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and/oramyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The term “epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-nativeforms of SOD1” as used herein refers to an epitope that is selectivelypresented or accessible on monomeric SOD1 or misfolded SOD1 inmonomeric, dimeric or aggregated forms, but not on the molecular surfaceof the native, correctly folded, homodimeric form of SOD1. In otherterms, the epitopes can be characterized as those giving rise toantibodies that bind selectively to forms of SOD1 associated withmisfolded-SOD1 related diseases, including Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease and/or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, relative tothe native homodimeric form of SOD1.

The following 7 epitopes have been identified as epitopes selectivelypresented or accessible in in non-native forms of SOD1: RLACGVIGI (SEQID NO: 1, DSE1); DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (SEQ ID NO: 2, DSE2)(WO 2005/019828); NPLSRKHGGPKDEE (SEQ ID NO: 3, DSE3)(WO 2005/ 019828);IKGLTEGLHGF (SEQ ID NO: 5, DSE5) (8); HCIIGRTLVVH (SEQ ID NO: 6, DSE6)(8) KAVCVLK (SEQ ID NO: 4, DSE4); and GLHGFHVH (SEQ ID NO: 7, DSE7).

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the epitopesselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 can beall or part of the above sequences. The term “part of” as used hereinrefers to the sequence that retains the epitope activity of binding anantibody selective for non-native forms of SOD1 and wherein the antibodyis optionally generated by immunization with an isolated peptidecorresponding to said epitope in an animal. The invention also includesanalogs of the above sequences, such as RLA[Cysteic Acid]GVIGI (DSE1a),which has an oxidized cysteine.

The term “Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope” as used herein refers toan epitope that is selectively present or accessible on monomeric SOD1or misfolded SOD1 in monomeric, dimeric or aggregated form, but not onthe native homodimeric form of SOD1. In other terms, the epitopes can becharacterized as those wherein immunization with an immunogen comprisingisolated peptides corresponding to said epitopes gives rise toantibodies that bind selectively to Alzheimer's disease-associated formsof SOD1, relative to the native homodimeric form of SOD1.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitope can be all or part of the above sequences. Theterm “part of” as used herein refers to the sequence that retains theepitope activity of binding an antibody selective for non-native formsof SOD1 wherein the antibody is optionally generated by immunizationwith an isolated peptide corresponding to all or part of said epitope inan animal. The invention also includes analogs of the above sequences.

The term “Parkinson's disease-specific epitope” as used herein refers toan epitope that is present or accessible on monomeric SOD1 or misfoldedSOD1 in monomeric, dimeric or aggregated form, but not on the nativehomodimeric form of SOD1. In other terms, the epitopes can becharacterized as those wherein immunization with an immunogen comprisingisolated peptides corresponding to said epitopes gives rise toantibodies that bind selectively to Parkinson's disease-associated formsof SOD1, relative to the native homodimeric form of SOD1.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitope can be all or part of the above sequences. Theterm “part of” as used herein refers to the sequence that retains theepitope activity of binding an antibody selective for non-native formsof SOD1 wherein the antibody is optionally generated by immunizationwith an isolated peptide corresponding to said epitope in an animal. Theinvention also includes analogs of the above sequences.

The term “amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope” as used hereinrefers to an epitope that is selectively present or accessible onmonomeric SOD1 or misfolded SOD1 in monomeric, dimeric or aggregatedform, but not on the native homodimeric form of SOD1. In other terms,the epitopes can be characterized as those giving rise to antibodiesthat bind selectively to ALS-associated forms of SOD1, relative to thenative homodimeric form of SOD1. A person skilled in the art willappreciate that the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope canbe all or part of the above sequences. The term “part of” as used hereinrefers to the sequence that retains the epitope activity of binding anantibody selective for non-native forms of SOD1 wherein the antibody isoptionally generated by immunization with an isolated peptidecorresponding to said epitope in an animal. The invention also includesanalogs of the above sequences.

The term “analog” as used herein includes parts, extensions,substitutions, variants, modifications or chemical equivalents andderivatives thereof of the amino acid and nucleotide sequences of thepresent invention that perform substantially the same function as thepeptide, protein or nucleic acid molecules of the invention insubstantially the same way. For example, analogs of peptides andproteins of the invention include, without limitation, conservativeamino acid substitutions. Analogs of peptides also include cysteic acidmodification of an amino acid, as in RLAC*GVIGI (DSE1a). For example, anamino acid is optionally acetylated (Ac—). Analogs of the peptides andproteins of the invention also include additions and deletions to thepeptides and proteins of the invention. Analogs of nucleic acids includedegenerate nucleotide substitutions that encode an isolated peptide ofthe invention. In addition, analog peptides and analog nucleotidesequences include derivatives thereof.

A “conservative amino acid substitution”, as used herein, is one inwhich one amino acid residue is replaced with another amino acid residuewithout abolishing the peptide's desired properties.

The term “derivative of a peptide” refers to a peptide having one ormore residues chemically derivatized by reaction of a functional sidegroup. Such derivatized molecules include for example, those moleculesin which free amino groups have been derivatized to form aminehydrochlorides, p-toluene sulfonyl groups, carbobenzoxy groups,t-butyloxycarbonyl groups, chloroacetyl groups or formyl groups. Freecarboxyl groups may be derivatized to form salts, methyl and ethylesters or other types of esters or hydrazides. Free hydroxyl groups maybe derivatized to form O-acyl or O-alkyl derivatives. The imidazolenitrogen of histidine may be derivatized to form N-im-benzylhistidine.Also included as derivatives are those peptides which contain one ormore naturally occurring amino acid derivatives of the twenty standardamino acids. For examples: 4-hydroxyproline may be substituted forproline; 5-hydroxylysine may be substituted for lysine;3-methylhistidine may be substituted for histidine; homoserine may besubstituted for serine; and ornithine may be substituted for lysine. Aderivative of a peptide also optionally includes peptides comprisingforms of amino acids that are oxidized.

Oxidative stress can lead to damage to cellular protein, DNA and lipids.Oxidative stress has been reported in AD and PD (64). The inventors haveshown that antibodies selective for DSE1a comprising an oxidizedcysteine in the form cysteic acid, has high affinity for misfolded SOD1.Other amino acids can also be oxidized or nitrated as a result ofoxidative stress. For example histidine, arginine and lysine can formcarbonyl groups, methionine may be oxidized to methionesulfoxide andphenylalanine can by nitrated to nitrotryptophan. Additionally cysteinecan be oxidized to cysteine sulfinic acid.

Accordingly, the epitopes in one embodiment comprise one or moreoxidized or nitrated amino acids. In specific embodiments of theinvention, the SOD1 epitope may comprise an oxidized or nitrated aminoacid, particularly oxidized cysteine, i.e., cysteic acid.

The isolated peptides corresponding to epitopes selectively presented innon-native SOD1, in one embodiment comprise one or more oxidized ornitrated amino acids. In specific embodiments of the invention, the SOD1epitope may comprise an oxidized or nitrated amino acid, particularlyoxidized cysteine, i.e., cysteic acid.

The isolated peptides corresponding to epitopes which are useful in thepresent invention thus are optionally peptides that incorporate sequencecorresponding to contiguous amino acid stretches within the human SOD1sequence that form epitopes selectively accessible either only in themonomeric forms of SOD, or in any form of SOD1 that has misfolded or isnon-native. Epitopes that have been identified as selectively accessiblein non-native SOD1 comprise the following amino acid stretches in hSOD1:RLACGVIGI (SEQ ID NO: 1 at SOD1 SEQ ID NO: 17 residues 143-151)DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (SEQ ID NO: 2 at SOD1 SEQ ID NO: 17 residues125-142); NPLSRKHGGPKDEE; (SEQ ID NO: 3 at SOD1 SEQ ID NO: 17 residues65-78); IKGLTEGLHGF (SEQ ID NO: 5 at SOD1 SEQ ID NO: 17 residues 35-42);HCIIGRTLVVH (SEQ ID NO: 6 at SOD1 SEQ ID NO: 17 residues 110-120);KAVCVLK (SEQ ID NO: 4 at SOD1 SEQ ID NO: 17 residues 3-9); and GLHGFHVH(SEQ ID NO: 7 at SOD1 SEQ ID NO: 17 residues 41-48)

To serve as a useful immunogen either for active immunotherapy or toraise antibodies for use for instance in passive immunotherapy, thepeptide desirably incorporates a minimum of about 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 SOD1disease specific epitope residues. In one embodiment, the isolatedpeptide corresponding to an epitope desirably comprises at least 8 SOD1residues Typically, the peptide will not require more than about 50 SOD1residues, and more usually will be accommodated within a SOD1 stretchthat is less than about 40 residues, e.g., about 30 residues and evenmore usually less than about 20 residues. It is possible to use peptidescomprising an even larger portion of SOD1, possibly resulting inmultiple antibodies, requiring selection for those that bind selectivelyto an epitope characteristic of misfolded SOD1.

SOD1 sequence useful to be targeted in accordance with embodiments ofthe present invention include the hSOD1 regions incorporating residues3-9, residues 35-45, residues 41-48, residues 65-78, residues 125-142,residues 143-151 and residues 145-151. As noted, such peptide sequencecorresponding to misfolded SOD1 epitopes can be truncated to incorporatea minimum of any 5, 6, or 7 residues from the regions noted. For exampleDSE1, having sequence RLACGVIGI can be truncated by removing the firsttwo amino acids “RL”. In addition, these regions can be extended, asnoted, to incorporate additional flanking SOD1 residues to a maximumnumber of residues that strikes any desired balance between the cost ofpeptide or vaccine production and the desired specificity and otherproperties of the resulting antibody.

In a preferred embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to adisease specific epitope comprises all or part of the sequence of anisolated peptide selected from the group consisting of peptides in Table2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

The peptides corresponding to these epitopes can further compriseadditional non-SOD1 amino acid residues particularly at the N- andC-terminal flanks thereof, which may be useful in conjugating thepeptide with an agent useful for instance in eliciting an immuneresponse, or an agent serving as a tag useful in the production of thepeptide or to monitor its presence. For instance, the peptide mayfurther comprise an N-terminal Cys residue to assist with coupling toKLH or the like. The peptide may further comprise one, two, three ormore flanking glycine residues, or a glycine/serine or glycine/lysinecombination such as GSG or GGKG, to improve the immune response byincreasing the length of the peptide without changing the specificity ofantibodies that are formed. The peptide corresponding to the epitope mayfurther comprise a linker effective to couple the peptide tandemly toanother copy of the same or a different peptide corresponding to thesame or a different epitope. Alternatively, the peptide corresponding toan epitope may further comprise a polyhistidine or Flag tag. In anotherembodiment, the peptides may comprise additional amino acids thatenhance the immunogenecity or solubility of the peptide. In oneembodiment, the additional amino acids number from 1 to about 10,preferably 1 to 8, more preferably 1 to 5. Importantly the additionalresidues do not materially affect the conformation of the peptide. Inone embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to the amyotrophiclateral sclerosis-specific epitope comprises 6 additional amino acidsand comprises the sequence GGRLACGVIGIGGKG. In one embodiment, theisolated peptide corresponding to the amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope comprises 4 additional amino acids andcomprises the sequence GGRLACGVIGIAQ.

In one embodiment, the analog amino acid sequences of the isolatedpeptide corresponding to disease specific epitopes selectively presentedor accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 typically have at least: 60%,70%, 80% or 90% sequence identity to the above sequences. In anotherembodiment, the analog amino acid sequences of the isolated peptidecorresponding to ALS-specific epitopes, PD-specific epitopes orAD-specific epitopes have at least: 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% sequenceidentity to the above sequences. The term “sequence identity” as usedherein refers to the percentage of sequence identity between twopolypeptide sequences. In order to determine the percentage of identitybetween two polypeptide sequences, the amino acid sequences of such twosequences are aligned, preferably using the Clustal W algorithm (9),together with BLOSUM 62 scoring matrix (10) and a gap opening penalty of10 and gap extension penalty of 0.1, so that the highest order match isobtained between two sequences wherein at least 50% of the total lengthof one of the sequences is involved in the alignment. Other methods thatmay be used to align sequences are the alignment method of Needleman andWunsch (11), as revised by Smith and Waterman (12) so that the highestorder match is obtained between the two sequences and the number ofidentical amino acids is determined between the two sequences. Othermethods to calculate the percentage identity between two amino acidsequences are generally art recognized and include, for example, thosedescribed by Carillo and Lipton (13) and those described inComputational Molecular Biology (14). Generally, computer programs willbe employed for such calculations. Computer programs that may be used inthis regard include, but are not limited to, GCG (15) BLASTP, BLASTN andFASTA (16).

Thus, while the preferred epitope targets comprise sequence that isfound in hSOD1, it will be appreciated that the present invention alsoembraces analogs of these epitope sequences that, as noted above,include, derivatives, extensions, truncations, modified amino acids andthe like. Such forms of the isolated peptides corresponding to diseasespecific epitopes are embraced by the term “analogs”. Such analogs arealso useful to raise antibodies that will bind to the epitopes presenton misfolded or monomeric SOD, for instance, to one of the sevenepitopes identified hereinabove.

Thus, relative to the preferred epitopes identified above, usefulisolated peptides corresponding to an epitope analogs, include isolatedpeptides that comprise but are not limited to:

For RLACGVIGI:

-   -   N-terminal truncation of R or RL; N-terminal extension with G or        GG or acetyl-GG and/or C-terminal extension with G, GG, GGK or        GGKG, for instance to arrive at acetyl-RLACGVIVIVGGKG; with or        without oxidation of C to yield cysteic acid, to arrive at        AC*GVIVIVG, including CGGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG; RLAC*GVIGIGSG and        CRLAC*GVIGIGSG; (wherein C* denotes cysteic acid)        For DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS;    -   N-terminal truncation of D, DL, DLG, DLGK and/or C-terminal        truncation of S, GS, AGS, NAGS; N-terminal extension with C or        with G, GG or GGG; C-terminal extension with G, GG, GS or GSG;        for instance to arrive at CDLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS, with or without        internal modification by carbonylation of one or two K residues,        for instance; and including such peptides as LGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS        DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAG, GKGGNEESTKTGNAGS, DLGKGGNEESTKTGNA,        KGGNEESTKTGNAGS, DLGKGGNEESTKTGN, GGNEESTKTGNAGS,        DLGKGGNEESTKTG, LGKGGNEESTKTGNAG, GKGGNEESTKTGNA, or        KGGNEESTKTGN.        For NPLSRKHGGPKDEE;    -   N-terminal truncation of N, NP, NPL and/or C-terminal truncation        of E, EE, DEE; N-terminal extension with C or with G, GG or GGG;        C-terminal extension with G, GG, GS or GSG; for instance to        arrive at CNPLSRKHGGPKDEE, with or without internal modification        by carbonylation of one or two H residues, for instance;        For IKGLTEGLHGF;    -   N-terminal addition of C, to arrive at CIKGLTEGLHGF        And for HCIIGRTLWH;    -   N-terminal truncation of H or HC and/or C-terminal truncation of        H, or VH, N-terminal extension to include SOD sequence at        residues 109 or 108/109 and/or to include G, GG, or GGG and/or        C-terminal extension by one or two SOD residues such as residues        121 or 121/122, for instance to arrive at GGGHCIIGRTLWHGSG

Examples of the above described peptides are summarized in Table 2A.TABLE 2A Isolated DSE Peptides and Analogs ACGVIGI (SEQ ID NO: 9, DSE1analog); Ac-GG-RLACGVIG-GGKG (SEQ ID NO: 10, DSE1 analog);CDLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (SEQ ID NO: 11, DSE2 analog); CNPLSRKHGGPKDEE (SEQID NO: 12; DSE3 analog); CIKGLTEGLHGF (SEQ ID NO: 14, DSE5 analog);RLA[Cysteic acid]GVIGI (SEQ ID NO: 8, DSE1a); A[Cysteic acid]GVIGI (SEQID NO: 13, DSE1a analog); C-GGG-RLA[Cysteic acid]GVIGI-GSG (SEQ ID NO:15, DSE1a analog); and GSGKAVCLK (SEQ ID NO: 16, DSE4 analog).

As noted above, the invention also includes a DSE1 epitope, isolatedpeptide corresponding to the epitope and an antibody directed againstthe epitope. Experiments further characterized DSE1. In one embodimentof the invention, the inventors prepared antibodies directed againstepitopes found on non-native forms of SOD1. In another embodiment of theinvention, the inventors detected misfolded SOD1 from the spinal tissuesof G85R, G93A and G37R ALS mouse models by immunoprecipitation using theSED1 antibody. In a further embodiment of the invention, the inventorsdetected misfolded SOD1 in spinal sections from G93A, G37R ALS mousemodels and from a human patient with ALS, using the SED1 antibody as aprobe. In another embodiment of the invention, the inventors used SED1to determine the subcellular localization of misfolded SOD1 where it wasdetermined that the major site of misfolded SOD1 deposition isvacuolated mitochondria within the motor neurons of the ventral horn.Further, misfolded SOD1 was detected in both the mitochondrial andcytoplasmic spinal cord fractions but only minor amounts wereimmunoprecipitated from similar fractions from liver and brain tissuesof G93A mouse. In G85R mice, misfolded SOD1 was enriched in spinal cordand brain mitochondria compared to the amount recovered from thecytosol. In another embodiment of the invention, the inventors showedthat misfolded SOD1 was initially absent but was detected prior todisease onset and correlates with motor neuron loss in ALS model mice.

In the case where the isolated peptide corresponding to an epitope perse or its analog is not sufficiently immunogenic, even when administeredwith standard adjuvants, the isolated peptide or isolated peptide analogcan be administered in the form of an “immunogen”, in which the isolatedpeptide corresponding to the epitope or analog is fused to or conjugatedwith an agent that enhances the immunogenicity of the peptide. Thus, theimmunogenicity or effectiveness of the composition to treat amyotrophiclateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and/or Parkinson's disease orelicit an immune response can also be enhanced by conjugating theisolated peptide corresponding to a disease specific epitope (e.g. suchas an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope) either directly,such as through an amide bond, or indirectly through a chemical linkersuch as carbodiimide or any peptide spacer sequence such as a glycine orglycine-serine sequence including Gly4-S, to a molecule that enhancesthe immunogenicity of the peptide corresponding to the epitope. Forexample, an isolated peptide corresponding to an amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope can be conjugated to MAP antigen, or keyholelimpet hemocyanin (KLH). KLH is a respiratory protein found in mollusks.Its large size makes it very immunogenic, and the large number of lysineresidues available for conjugation make it very useful to attach to apolypeptide, such as an isolated peptide corresponding to an amyotrophiclateral sclerosis-specific epitope. Conjugation of KLH can be donethrough an N-terminal Cys residues added to the isolated peptidecorresponding to the epitope, if no other convenient site is availableon the peptide for KLH conjugation.

Thus, the composition for eliciting an immune response may comprise animmunogen. An “immunogen” as used herein means a substance whichprovokes an immune response and/or causes production of an antibody. Inaddition to the isolated peptides, conjugates and fusions describedherein, peptide mimetics which elicit cross-reactive antibodies todisease specific epitopes of SOD1 are useful (see 82).

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that there may be otherepitopes selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1, such as other amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopes,other Alzheimer's disease-specific epitopes, and/or other Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitopes. For example, other disease specific epitopesmay be identified using the epitope protection assay described in WO2005/019828 which is specifically incorporated by reference herein. Inanother example, other disease specific epitopes may be identified usingthe method disclosed in Khare et al. (8). Furthermore, useful epitopescan be identified as those presenting selectively in SOD1 that isdenatured, or SOD1 that is subjected to denaturing conditions such aschaotropic agents, heat, pH extremes, or detergents known to thosepracticed in the art, or otherwise treated to induce adoption of amisfolded conformation, relative to a pH neutral control SOD1.

In one embodiment, the invention provides a method of identifyingdisease specific epitopes in disease associated non-native proteins. Therationale for selecting disease specific epitopes is based on severalconsiderations. The selected linear peptide epitopes should be obscuredin an antibody inaccessible state in the normal isoform of the targetedprotein, but exposed at the surface in the disease-misfolded isoformsuch that the linear peptide epitopes may be bound by an antibodyspecific for the normally obscured epitope. Other considerations includethe predicted or experimentally defined role of the defined specificepitope in the formation of aggregates, and the adequate length andimmunogenicity of a peptide corresponding to the epitope as a target forimmunization or immunotherapy, The optimal disease specific epitopesbenefit from the safety of immune response against a non-native antigen,with minimization of autoimmunity and the comparative effectiveness ofminimal adjuvant regimens for therapeutic vaccines. The optimaldisease-specific epitopes also benefit from the efficacy ofneutralization and inhibition of the toxic and template-directedactivity of misfolded proteins by antibody binding. Neutralization mayalso accelerate the degradation of the misfolded protein species bysystems such as the reticulo-endothelial system and by the resident CNSimmune effector cells such as microglia.

Compositions Comprising Epitopes For Treating SOD1 MediatedNeurodegenerative Diseases

One aspect of the invention is a composition for treating Alzheimer'sdisease in a subject comprising an effective amount of an isolatedpeptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessiblein a non-native form of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable, such as apharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier. Another aspect of theinvention is a composition for treating Parkinson's disease in a subjectcomprising an effective amount of an isolated peptide corresponding toepitope selectively presented or accessible in a non-native form of SOD1in admixture with a suitable, such as a pharmaceutically acceptable,diluent or carrier. A further aspect of the invention is a compositionfor treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a subject comprising aneffective amount of an isolated peptide corresponding to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in a non-native form of SOD1 inadmixture with a suitable, such as a pharmaceutically acceptable,diluent or carrier. The term “Isolated peptide” refers to peptide thathas been produced, for example, by recombinant or synthetic techniques,and removed from the source that produced the peptide, such asrecombinant cells or residual peptide synthesis reactants. The isolatedpeptide is optionally “purified”, which means at least: 80%, 85%, 90%,95%, 98% or 99% purity and optionally pharmaceutical grade purity.

An “isolated peptide corresponding to an epitope” as used herein refersto the produced peptide that comprises the epitope or a region of theepitope and is the same or similar in sequence to a disease specificepitope in non-native SOD1. “Epitope” is optionally used to refer to theproduced isolated peptide that corresponds to the epitope on SOD1selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1.

In the case where the isolated peptide corresponding to disease specificepitope, per se is not sufficiently immunogenic, even when administeredwith standard adjuvants, the isolated peptide can be administered in theform of an immunogen, in which the isolated peptide is fused to orconjugated with an agent that enhances the immunogenicity of saidpeptide.

In certain embodiments, the isolated peptide corresponding to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in a non-native form of SOD1comprises all or part of a Table 2 or Table 2A isolated peptidereferenced herein above.

As used herein, the property of inhibiting or reducing SOD1 aggregateformation is revealed as a reduction in the formation rate, number orsize of neurotoxic SOD1 aggregates, as revealed using assays establishedfor this purpose, and as exemplified herein.

One aspect of the invention is a composition useful for treatingamyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a subject comprising an effectiveamount of an isolated peptide corresponding to amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope in admixture with a suitable, such as apharmaceutically acceptable, diluent or carrier, such aspharmaceutically acceptable carriers. In other embodiments, the isolatedpeptide corresponding to an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitope comprises an having the sequence of a Table 2 or Table 2Aisolated peptide referenced above.

As used herein, the phrase “treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis” asused herein includes inhibiting the disease, preventing the disease orreducing the symptoms associated with the disease.

A further aspect of the invention is a composition useful for treatingAlzheimer's disease in a subject comprising an effective amount of anisolated peptide corresponding to an Alzheimer's disease-specificepitope in admixture with a suitable vehicle, such as a pharmaceuticallyacceptable, diluent or carrier. In embodiments, the isolated peptidecorresponding to Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope comprises anisolated peptide selected from the group consisting of the isolatedpeptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

As used herein, the phrase “treating Alzheimer's disease” as used hereinincludes inhibiting the disease, preventing the disease or reducing thesymptoms associated with the disease.

Another aspect of the invention is a composition useful for treatingParkinson's disease in a subject comprising an effective amount of anisolated peptide corresponding to a Parkinson's disease-specific epitopein admixture with a suitable, such as a pharmaceutically acceptable,diluent or carrier, such as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. Inembodiments, the isolated peptide corresponding to a Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitope comprises an isolated peptide selected from thegroup consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or ananalog thereof.

As used herein, the phrase “treating Parkinson's disease” as used hereinincludes inhibiting the disease, preventing the disease or reducing thesymptoms associated with the disease.

Compositions Comprising Epitopes for Eliciting Immune Response

An aspect of the invention is a composition for eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal comprising an effective amount of an isolatedepitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier. In a preferredembodiment, the epitope selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 comprises an isolated peptide selected from thegroup consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or ananalog thereof.

One aspect of the invention is a composition for eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal comprising an effective amount of an isolatedpeptide corresponding to an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitope in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier, wherein theamyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope comprises an isolatedpeptide selected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides inTable 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Another aspect of the invention is a composition for eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal comprising an effective amount of an isolatedpeptide corresponding to an Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope inadmixture with a suitable diluent or carrier, wherein the isolatedpeptide corresponding to an Alzheimer's disease-specific epitopecomprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consisting of theisolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

A further aspect of the invention is a composition for eliciting animmune response in an animal comprising an effective amount of anisolated the isolated peptide corresponding to a Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitope in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier, wherein the isolated peptide corresponding to a Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitope comprises an isolated peptide selected from thegroup consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or ananalog thereof.

The phrase “eliciting an immune response” is defined as initiating,triggering, causing, enhancing, improving or augmenting any response ofthe immune system, for example, of either a humoral or cell-mediatednature. The initiation or enhancement of an immune response can beassessed using assays known to those skilled in the art including, butnot limited to, antibody assays (for example ELISA assays), antigenspecific cytotoxicity assays and the production of cytokines (forexample ELISPOT assays).

The composition for eliciting an immune response may comprise animmunogen. An “immunogen” as used herein means a substance whichprovokes an immune response and/or causes production of an antibody. Incertain embodiments, the immunogen comprises an isolated peptideselected from the isolated peptides provided in Table 2 or Table 2A. Theisolated peptide is, in some embodiments, conjugated to a suitablecarrier such as KLH. In addition to the isolated peptides describedherein, peptide mimetics which elicit cross-reactive antibodies todisease specific epitopes of SOD1 are useful. The term “animal” or“subject” as used herein includes all members of the animal kingdomincluding mammals, preferably humans.

As used herein, the phrase “effective amount” means an amount effective,at dosages and for periods of time necessary to achieve a desiredresult. Effective amounts may vary according to factors such as thedisease state, age, sex, weight of the animal. Dosage regime may beadjusted to provide the optimum therapeutic response.

Pharmaceutical Compositions Comprising Isolated Peptides Correspondingto Disease Specific Epitopes

The compositions described herein can be prepared by per se knownmethods for the preparation of pharmaceutically acceptable compositionsthat can be administered to subjects, optionally as a vaccine, such thatan effective quantity of the active substance is combined in a mixturewith a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. Suitable vehicles aredescribed, for example, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences (17). Onthis basis, the compositions include, albeit not exclusively, solutionsof the substances in association with one or more pharmaceuticallyacceptable vehicles or diluents, and contained in buffered solutionswith a suitable pH and iso-osmotic with the physiological fluids.

Pharmaceutical compositions include, without limitation, lyophilizedpowders or aqueous or non-aqueous sterile injectable solutions orsuspensions, which may further contain antioxidants, buffers,bacteriostats and solutes that render the compositions substantiallycompatible with the tissues or the blood of an intended recipient. Othercomponents that may be present in such compositions include water,surfactants (such as Tween), alcohols, polyols, glycerin and vegetableoils, for example. Extemporaneous injection solutions and suspensionsmay be prepared from sterile powders, granules, tablets, or concentratedsolutions or suspensions. The composition may be supplied, for examplebut not by way of limitation, as a lyophilized powder which isreconstituted with sterile water or saline prior to administration tothe patient.

Pharmaceutical compositions of the invention may comprise apharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Suitable pharmaceuticallyacceptable carriers include essentially chemically inert and nontoxiccompositions that do not interfere with the effectiveness of thebiological activity of the pharmaceutical composition. Examples ofsuitable pharmaceutical carriers include, but are not limited to, water,saline solutions, glycerol solutions, ethanol,N-(1(2,3-dioleyloxy)propyl)N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride (DOTMA),diolesylphosphotidyl-ethanolamine (DOPE), and liposomes. Suchcompositions should contain a therapeutically effective amount of thecompound, together with a suitable amount of carrier so as to providethe form for direct administration to the patient.

The composition may be in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable saltwhich includes, without limitation, those formed with free amino groupssuch as those derived from hydrochloric, phosphoric, acetic, oxalic,tartaric acids, etc., and those formed with free carboxyl groups such asthose derived from sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium, ferrichydroxides, isopropylamine, triethylamine, 2-ethylamino ethanol,histidine, procaine, etc.

Immunogenicity can be significantly improved if the immunizing agent(s)or immunogen (e.g. isolated peptide corresponding to an amyotrophiclateral sclerosis-specific epitope or a fusion or conjugate thereof withan immune enhancing agent) and/or composition is, regardless ofadministration format, co-immunized with an adjuvant. Commonly,adjuvants are used as a 0.05 to 1.0 percent solution inphosphate-buffered saline. Adjuvants enhance the immunogenicity of animmunogen but are not necessarily immunogenic themselves. Adjuvants mayact by retaining the immunogen locally near the site of administrationto produce a depot effect facilitating a slow, sustained release ofimmunogen to cells of the immune system. Adjuvants can also attractcells of the immune system to an immunogen depot and stimulate suchcells to elicit immune responses. As such, embodiments of this inventionencompass compositions further comprising adjuvants.

Adjuvants have been used for many years to improve the host immuneresponses to, for example, vaccines. Intrinsic adjuvants (such aslipopolysaccharides) normally are the components of killed or attenuatedbacteria used as vaccines. Extrinsic adjuvants are immunomodulatorswhich are typically non-covalently linked to antigens and are formulatedto enhance the host immune responses. Thus, adjuvants have beenidentified that enhance the immune response to antigens deliveredparenterally. Some of these adjuvants are toxic, however, and can causeundesirable side effects making them unsuitable for use in humans andmany animals. Indeed, only aluminum hydroxide, aluminum sulfate andaluminum phosphate (collectively commonly referred to as alum) areroutinely used as adjuvants in human and veterinary vaccines. Alum maybe used with immunostimulating agents such as MPL or 3-DMP; QS21; andmonomeric or polymeric amino acids such as polyglutamic acid orpolylysine. The efficacy of alum in increasing antibody responses todiphtheria and tetanus toxoids is well established. Notwithstanding, itdoes have limitations. For example, alum is ineffective for influenzavaccination and inconsistently elicits a cell mediated immune responsewith other immunogens. The antibodies elicited by alum-adjuvantedantigens are mainly of the IgG1 isotype in the mouse, which may not beoptimal for protection by some vaccinal agents.

A wide range of extrinsic adjuvants can provoke potent immune responsesto immunogens. These include saponins such as Stimulons (QS21, Aquila,Worcester, Mass.) or particles generated therefrom such as ISCOMs and(immunostimulating complexes) and ISCOMATRIX, complexed to membraneprotein antigens (immune stimulating complexes), pluronic polymers withmineral oil, killed mycobacteria and mineral oil, Freund's completeadjuvant, bacterial products such as muramyl dipeptide (MDP) andlipopolysaccharide (LPS), as well as lipid A, and liposomes.

In one aspect of this invention, adjuvants useful in any of theembodiments of the invention described herein are as follows. Adjuvantsfor parenteral immunization include aluminum compounds (such as aluminumhydroxide, aluminum phosphate, and aluminum hydroxy phosphate). Theantigen can be precipitated with, or adsorbed onto, the aluminumcompound according to standard protocols. Other adjuvants such as RIBI(ImmunoChem, Hamilton, Mont.) can also be used in parenteraladministration.

Adjuvants for mucosal immunization include bacterial toxins (e.g., thecholera toxin (CT), the E. coli heat-labile toxin (LT), the Clostridiumdifficile toxin A and the pertussis toxin (PT), or combinations,subunits, toxoids, or mutants thereof). For example, a purifiedpreparation of native cholera toxin subunit B (CTB) can be of use.Fragments, homologs, derivatives, and fusion to any of these toxins arealso suitable, provided that they retain adjuvant activity. Preferably,a mutant having reduced toxicity is used. Suitable mutants have beendescribed (e.g., in WO 95/17211 (Arg-7-Lys CT mutant), WO 96/6627(Arg-192-Gly LT mutant), and WO 95/34323 (Arg-9-Lys and Glu-129-Gly PTmutant)). Additional LT mutants that can be used in the methods andcompositions of the invention include, for example Ser-63-Lys,Ala-69-Gly, Glu-110-Asp, and Glu-112-Asp mutants. Other adjuvants (suchas a bacterial monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) of various sources (e.g.,E. coli, Salmonella minnesota, Salmonella typhimurium, or Shigellaflexneri, saponins, or polylactide glycolide (PLGA) microspheres) canalso be used in mucosal administration.

Other adjuvants include cytokines such as interleukins for example IL-1,IL-2 and IL-12, chemokines, for example CXCL10 and CCL5, macrophagestimulating factor, and/or tumor necrosis factor. Other adjuvants thatmay be used include CpG oligonucleotides (Davis. Curr Top MicrobiolImmunol., 247:171-183, 2000).

Oil in water emulsions include squalene; peanut oil; MF59 (WO 90/14387);SAF (Syntex Laboratories, Palo Alto, Calif.); and Ribi™ (RibiImmunochem, Hamilton, Mont.). Oil in water emulsions may be used withimmunostimulating agents such as muramyl peptides (for example,N-acetylmuramyl-L-threonyl-D-isoglutamine (thr-MDP),-acetyl-normuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (nor-MDP),N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamyl-L-alanine-2-(1′-2′dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-hydroxyphosphoryloxy)-ethylamine(MTP-PE),N-acetylglucsaminyl-N-acetylmuramyl-L-Al-D-isoglu-L-Ala-dipalmitoxypropylamide (DTP-DPP) theramide(TM)), or other bacterial cell wallcomponents.

Adjuvants useful for both mucosal and parenteral immunization includepolyphosphazene (for example, WO 95/2415), DC-chol (3b-(N-(N′,N′-dimethyl aminomethane)-carbamoyl) cholesterol (for example,U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,185 and WO 96/14831) and QS-21 (for example, WO88/9336).

An adjuvant may be coupled to an immunogen for administration(Livingston. J. Immunol., 159: 1383-1392, 1997). For example, a lipidsuch as palmitic acid, may be coupled directly to one or more peptidessuch that the change in conformation of the peptides comprising theimmunogen does not affect the nature of the immune response to theimmunogen.

The choice of an adjuvant may depend on a number of factors includingthe route of administration, the efficacy of the adjuvant, the dosingregimen, the stability of the vaccine containing the adjuvant and thespecies being vaccinated. The adjuvant may be administered with animmunogen as a single composition. Further, an adjuvant may beadministered before, concurrent or after administration of theimmunogen.

The immunogenicity or effectiveness of the composition to treatamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and/or Parkinson'sdisease or elicit an immune response can also be enhanced by conjugatingthe isolated peptide corresponding to a disease specific epitope (e.g.such as an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope) eitherdirectly, such as through an amide bond, or indirectly through achemical linker such as carbodiimide or any peptide spacer sequence suchas a glycine or glycine-serine sequence including Gly4-S, to a moleculethat enhances the immunogenicity of the epitope. For example, anisolated peptide corresponding to an amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope can be conjugated to keyhole limpethemocyanin (KLH). KLH is a respiratory protein found in mollusks. Itslarge size makes it very immunogenic, and the large number of lysineresidues available for conjugation make it very useful to attach to anprotein, such as an isolated peptide corresponding to an amyotrophiclateral sclerosis-specific epitope.

Other guidance on peptide vaccination technique is found in the workshowing that a disease-specific epitope for misfolded prion protein (6)provides a target for prion-infected neuroblastoma cells in vitro (7),and that peptide vaccination of mice with this epitope is protectiveagainst inoculation of infectious prions.

Isolated peptides corresponding to the epitopes or analogs thereofselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1,including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific, Alzheimer'sdisease-specific and Parkinson's disease-specific epitopes are readilyprepared using a variety of methods known to one skilled in the art.Accordingly, peptides that correspond to disease specific epitopes suchas amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopes may be prepared bychemical synthesis using techniques well known in the chemistry ofproteins such as solid phase synthesis (18) or synthesis in homogenoussolution (19).

Peptides corresponding to the epitopes selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1, including amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific, Alzheimer's disease-specific and Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitopes may also be produced by recombinant DNAtechnology. To prepare peptides corresponding to the amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitopes by recombinant DNA techniques, a DNAsequence encoding the peptide corresponding to amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope must be prepared. Consequently, the presentinvention also includes the use of purified and isolated nucleic acidscomprising a nucleotide sequence coding for amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitopes to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or toelicit an immune response.

In one embodiment the nucleic acid sequence encoding the peptidescorresponding to epitopes selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 is incorporated into an expression vectoradapted for transfection or transformation of a host cell. In anotherembodiment the nucleic acid sequence encoding the peptides correspondingto amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopes is incorporated intoan expression vector adapted for transfection or transformation of ahost cell. In a further embodiment, the nucleic acid sequence encodingthe peptides corresponding to Alzheimer's disease specific epitopes isincorporated into an expression vector adapted for transfection ortransformation. In another embodiment, the nuclei acid sequence encodingthe peptides corresponding to Parkinson's disease specific epitopes isincorporated into an expression vector adapted for transfection ortransformation. The nucleic acid molecules may be incorporated in aknown manner into an appropriate expression vector which ensuresexpression of the protein. Possible expression vectors include but arenot limited to cosmids, plasmids, or modified viruses (e.g. replicationdefective retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses). Thevector should be compatible with the host cell used. The expressionvectors are “suitable for transformation of a host cell”, which meansthat the expression vectors contain a nucleic acid molecule encoding thepeptides corresponding to epitopes selectively presented or accessiblein non-native forms of SOD1, including amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitopes, Alzheimer's disease-specific epitopes andParkinson's disease specific epitopes, and regulatory sequences selectedon the basis of the host cells to be used for expression, which isoperatively linked to the nucleic acid molecule. “Operatively linked” isintended to mean that the nucleic acid is linked to regulatory sequencesin a manner which allows expression of the nucleic acid.

Suitable regulatory sequences may be derived from a variety of sources,including bacterial, fungal, viral, mammalian, or insect genes (Forexample, see the regulatory sequences described in Goeddel (20)).Selection of appropriate regulatory sequences is dependent on the hostcell chosen as discussed below, and may be readily accomplished by oneof ordinary skill in the art. Examples of such regulatory sequencesinclude: a transcriptional promoter and enhancer or RNA polymerasebinding sequence, a ribosomal binding sequence, including a translationinitiation signal. Additionally, depending on the host cell chosen andthe vector employed, other sequences, such as an origin of replication,additional DNA restriction sites, enhancers, and sequences conferringinducibility of transcription may be incorporated into the expressionvector.

The recombinant expression vectors may also contain a marker gene whichfacilitates the selection of host cells transformed or transfected witha recombinant molecule of the invention. Examples of selectable markergenes are genes encoding a protein such as G418 and hygromycin whichconfer resistance to certain drugs, β-galactosidase, chloramphenicolacetyltransferase, firefly luciferase, or an immunoglobulin or portionthereof such as the Fc portion of an immunoglobulin preferably IgG.Transcription of the selectable marker gene is monitored by changes inthe concentration of the selectable marker protein such asβ-galactosidase, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, or fireflyluciferase. If the selectable marker gene encodes a protein conferringantibiotic resistance such as neomycin resistance transformant cells canbe selected with G418. Cells that have incorporated the selectablemarker gene will survive, while the other cells die. This makes itpossible to visualize and assay for expression of recombinant expressionvectors of the invention and in particular to determine the effect of amutation on expression and phenotype. It will be appreciated thatselectable markers can be introduced on a separate vector from thenucleic acid of interest.

Recombinant expression vectors can be introduced into host cells toproduce a transformant host cell. The term “transformant host cell” isintended to include prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells which have beentransformed or transfected with a recombinant expression vector encodingthe amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopes. The terms“transformed with”, “transfected with”, “transformation” and“transfection” are intended to encompass introduction of nucleic acid(e.g. a vector) into a cell by one of many possible techniques known inthe art. Prokaryotic cells can be transformed with nucleic acid by, forexample, electroporation or calcium-chloride mediated transformation.Nucleic acid can be introduced into mammalian cells via conventionaltechniques such as calcium phosphate or calcium chlorideco-precipitation, DEAE-dextran mediated transfection, lipofectin,electroporation or microinjection. Suitable methods for transforming andtransfecting host cells can be found in Sambrook et al. (21), and otherlaboratory textbooks.

Suitable host cells include a wide variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotichost cells. For example, the proteins of the invention may be expressedin bacterial cells such as E. coli, insect cells (using baculovirus),yeast cells or mammalian cells. Other suitable host cells can be foundin Goeddel (20).

More particularly, bacterial host cells suitable for carrying out thepresent invention include E. coli, B. subtilis, Salmonella typhimurium,and various species within the genus Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, andStaphylococcus, as well as many other bacterial species well known toone of ordinary skill in the art. Suitable bacterial expression vectorspreferably comprise a promoter which functions in the host cell, one ormore selectable phenotypic markers, and a bacterial origin ofreplication. Representative promoters include the β-lactamase(penicillinase) and lactose promoter system (see Chang et al. (22)), thetrp promoter (23) and the tac promoter (24). Representative selectablemarkers include various antibiotic resistance markers such as thekanamycin or ampicillin resistance genes. Suitable expression vectorsinclude but are not limited to bacteriophages such as lambda derivativesor plasmids such as pBR322 (see Bolivar et al. (25)), the pUC plasmidspUC18, pUC19, pUC118, pUC119 (see Messing (26) and Vieira and Messing(27)), and pNH8A, pNH16a, pNH18a, and Bluescript M13 (Stratagene, LaJolla, Calif.). Typical fusion expression vectors which may be used arediscussed above, e.g. PGEX (Amrad Corp., Melbourne, Australia), pMAL(New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway,N.J.). Examples of inducible non-fusion expression vectors include ptrc(28) and pET 11d (29).

Yeast and fungi host cells suitable for carrying out the presentinvention include, but are not limited to Saccharomyces cerevisiae,Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the genera Pichia or Kluyveromyces andvarious species of the genus Aspergillus. Examples of vectors forexpression in yeast S. cerivisiae include pYepSec1 (30), pMFa (31),pJRY88 (32), and pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.).Protocols for the transformation of yeast and fungi are well known tothose of ordinary skill in the art (see Hinnen et al. (33); Itoh et al.(34), and Cullen et al. (35).

Mammalian cells suitable for carrying out the present invention include,among others: COS (e.g., ATCC No. CRL 1650 or 1651), BHK (e.g. ATCC No.CRL 6281), CHO (ATCC No. CCL 61), HeLa (e.g., ATCC No. CCL 2), 293 (ATCCNo. 1573) and NS-1 cells. Suitable expression vectors for directingexpression in mammalian cells generally include a promoter (e.g.,derived from viral material such as polyoma, Adenovirus 2,cytomegalovirus and Simian Virus 40), as well as other transcriptionaland translational control sequences. Examples of mammalian expressionvectors include pCDM8 (36) and pMT2PC (37).

Given the teachings provided herein, promoters, terminators, and methodsfor introducing expression vectors of an appropriate type into plant,avian, and insect cells may also be readily accomplished. For example,within one embodiment, the proteins of the invention may be expressedfrom plant cells (see Sinkar et al. (38)), which reviews the use ofAgrobacterium rhizogenes vectors; see also Zambryski et al. (39), whichdescribes the use of expression vectors for plant cells, including,among others, pAS2022, pAS2023, and pAS2034).

Insect cells suitable for carrying out the present invention includecells and cell lines from Bombyx or Spodotera species. Baculovirusvectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells(SF 9 cells) include the pAc series (40) and the pVL series (41). Somebaculovirus-insect cell expression systems suitable for expression ofrecombinant proteins are described in PCT/US/02442.

The recombinant expression vectors containing the nucleotide sequencesencoding the peptide corresponding to epitopes selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1, including amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitopes, Alzheimer's disease specific epitopes andParkinson's disease specific epitopes may also contain genes whichencode a fusion moiety (i.e. a “fusion protein”) which providesincreased expression of the recombinant peptide; increased solubility ofthe recombinant peptide; and aid in the purification of the targetrecombinant peptide by acting as a ligand in affinity purification. Forexample, a proteolytic cleavage site may be added to the targetrecombinant protein to allow separation of the recombinant protein fromthe fusion moiety subsequent to purification of the fusion protein.Typical fusion expression vectors include PGEX (Amrad Corp., Melbourne,Australia), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5(Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase(GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to therecombinant protein.

Nucleic Acid Compositions for Treating SOD1 Mediated NeurodegenerativeDiseases

One aspect of the invention is a composition for treating Alzheimer'sdisease comprising an effective amount of an isolated nucleic acid thatencodes for a peptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presentedor accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier. An further aspect of the invention is a compositionfor treating Parkinson's disease comprising an effective amount of anisolated nucleic acid that encodes for a peptide corresponding to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier. Another aspect of theinvention is a composition for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosiscomprising an effective amount of an isolated nucleic acid that encodesfor an peptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier.

In a preferred embodiment, the isolated peptide is selected from thegroup consisting of the peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analogthereof.

Another aspect of the invention is a composition for eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal comprising an effective amount of a nucleic acidencoding an peptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier, wherein the peptide corresponds to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 selectedfrom the group consisting of the peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or ananalog thereof.

In embodiments, isolated nucleic acids encoding the peptidescorresponding to the epitopes selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 include the following RNA molecules, synonymouscodon equivalents thereof, and their DNA counterparts and complements:For RLACGVIGI; AGGUUAGCUUGUGGUGUUAUAGGUAUA. (SEQ ID NO: 19) ForDLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS; GAUUUAGGUAAAGGUGGUAAUGAAGAAAGUACUA (SEQ ID NO: 20)AAACUGGUAAUGCUGGUAGU. For NPLSRKHGGPKDEE;AAUCCUUUAAGUCGUAAACACGGAGGACCGAAGG (SEQ ID NO: 21) ACGAGGAG. ForIKGLTEGLHGF; AUAAAGGGGAAAACAGAAGGACUCCACGGCUUU. (SEQ ID NO: 22) ForHCIIGRTLVVH; CACUGUAUUAUUGGCAGGACCCUCGUUGUUCAC. (SEQ ID NO: 23)

Other useful nucleic acids include: For RLACGVIGI (DSE1: 143-151);CGUUUGGCUUGUGGUGUAAUUGGGAUC. (SEQ ID NO: 24) For ACGVIGI (DSE1:145-151); GCUUGUGGUGUAAUUGGGAUC. (SEQ ID NO: 25) For DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS(DSE2: 125-142); GACUUGGGCAAAGGUGGAAAUGAAGAAAGUACAA (SEQ ID NO: 26)AGACAGGAAACGCUGGAAGU. For NPLSRKHGGPKDEE (DSE3: 65-78);AAUCCUCUAUCCAGAAAACACGGUGGGCCAAAGG (SEQ ID NO: 27) AUGAAGAG. For KAVCVLK(DSE4: 3-9); AAGGCCGUGUGCGUGCUGAAG. (SEQ ID NO: 28) For IKGLTEGLHGF(DSE5: 35-45); AUUAAAGGACUGACUGAAGGCCUGCAUGGAUUC. (SEQ ID NO: 29) ForHCIIGRTLVVH (DSE6: 110-120); CAUUGCAUCAUUGGCCGCACACUGGUGGUCCAU. (SEQ IDNO: 30) For GLHGFHVH (DSE7: 41-48); GGCCUGCAUGGAUUCCAUGUUCAU. (SEQ IDNO: 31)The nucleic acids are referred to herein as “Table 2C nucleic acids”.

One aspect of the invention is a composition for treating amyotrophiclateral sclerosis in a subject comprising an effective amount of anisolated nucleic acid that encodes for an isolated amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier, wherein the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopecomprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consisting of thepeptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Another aspect of the invention is a composition for eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal comprising an effective amount of an isolatednucleic acid encoding an isolated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitope in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier, wherein theamyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope comprises an isolatedpeptide selected from the group consisting of the peptides in Table 2 orTable 2A, or an analog thereof.

In embodiments, isolated nucleic acids encoding the peptidescorresponding to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopes includethe following RNA molecules, synonymous codon equivalents thereof, andtheir DNA counterparts listed in Table 2C nucleic acids.

A further aspect of the invention is a composition for treatingAlzheimer's disease in a subject comprising an effective amount of anisolated nucleic acid that encodes for an isolated Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitope in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier, wherein the Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope comprises apeptide selected from the group consisting of the peptides in Table 2 orTable 2A, or an analog thereof.

Another aspect of the invention is a composition for eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal comprising an effective amount of an isolatednucleic acid encoding an isolated Alzheimer's disease-specific epitopein admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier, wherein the Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitope comprises an peptide selected from the groupconsisting of the peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

In embodiments, isolated nucleic acids encoding the Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitopes include the following RNA molecules,synonymous codon equivalents thereof, and their DNA counterparts andcomplements listed in the Table 2C nucleic acids.

Another aspect of the invention is a composition for treatingParkinson's disease in a subject comprising an effective amount of anisolated nucleic acid that encodes for a peptide corresponding to aParkinson's disease-specific epitope in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier, wherein the Parkinson's disease-specific epitopecomprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consisting of theisolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Another aspect of the invention is a composition for eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal comprising an effective amount of an isolatednucleic acid encoding an isolated Parkinson's disease-specific epitopein admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier, wherein the Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitope comprises an isolated peptide selected from thegroup consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or ananalog thereof.

In embodiments, nucleic acids encoding the Parkinson's disease-specificepitopes include the following RNA molecules, synonymous codonequivalents thereof, and their DNA counterparts listed in the Table 2Cnucleic acids.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that there are several modesof administration available when using a composition containing anisolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a peptide corresponding to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1,including an isolated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope, anisolated Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope and an isolatedParkinson's disease-specific epitope. The recombinant moleculesdescribed above may be directly introduced into cells or tissues in vivousing delivery vehicles such as retroviral vectors, adenoviral vectorsand DNA virus vectors. They may also be introduced into cells in vivousing physical techniques such as microinjection and electroporation orchemical methods such as coprecipitation and incorporation of DNA intoliposomes. Recombinant molecules may also be delivered in the form of anaerosol or by lavage. The nucleic acid molecules of the invention mayalso be applied extracellularly such as by direct injection into cells.

Method of Medical Treatment of Disease Using Nucleic Acids

Vectors containing the nucleic acid molecules of the invention areoptionally administered to the CNS of mammals, preferably humans, ingene therapy using techniques described below. The polypeptides producedfrom the nucleic acid molecules are readily administered to the CNS ofmammals, preferably humans. The invention relates to a method of medicaltreatment of a mammal, preferably a human, by administering to themammal a vector of the invention or a cell containing a vector of theinvention. Neural diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer'sdisease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are treated as described inthis application or using methods known in the art (U.S. Pat. Nos.7,175,840, 7,157,098, 7,141,044, 6,309,634; 6,936,594; US ApplicationNos. 2006073119; 2004265283; 2002107213; 2006122116). Diseases, such asblood diseases or neural diseases (neurodegenerative), are treated asdescribed in this application and known in the art Stem cell nervediseases to be treated by neural stem cell transplantation includediseases resulting in neural cell damage or loss, eg. paralysis,Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, ALS, multiple sclerosis). Thevector of the invention is useful as a stem cell marker and to expressgenes that cause stem cells to differentiate (e.g. growth factor).

Gene Therapy

The invention includes compositions and methods for providing a codingnucleic acid molecule to a subject such that expression of the moleculein the cells provides the biological activity of the polypeptide encodedby the coding nucleic acid molecule to those cells. A coding nucleicacid as used herein means a nucleic acid that comprises nucleotideswhich specify the amino acid sequence, or a portion thereof, of thecorresponding protein. A coding sequence may comprise a start codonand/or a termination sequence.

The invention includes methods and compositions for providing a codingnucleic acid molecule to the cells of an individual such that expressionof the coding nucleic acid molecule in the cells provides the biologicalactivity or phenotype of the polypeptide encoded by the coding nucleicacid molecule. The method also relates to a method for providing anindividual having a disease, disorder or abnormal physical state with abiologically active polypeptide by administering a nucleic acid moleculeof the present invention. The methods may be performed ex vivo or invivo. Gene therapy methods and compositions are demonstrated, forexample, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,869,040, 5,639,642, 5,928,214, 5,911,983,5,830,880, 5,910,488, 5,854,019, 5,672,344, 5,645,829, 5,741,486,5,656,465, 5,547,932, 5,529,774, 5,436,146, 5,399,346 and 5,670,488,5,240,846. The amount of polypeptide will vary with the subject's needs.The optimal dosage of vector is readily determined using empiricaltechniques, for example by escalating doses (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,488for an example of escalating doses).

Various approaches to gene therapy are used. The invention includes aprocess for providing a human with a therapeutic polypeptide including:introducing human cells into a human, said human cells having beentreated in vitro or ex vivo to insert therein a vector of the invention,the human cells expressing in vivo in said human a therapeuticallyeffective amount of said therapeutic polypeptide.

The method also relates to a method for producing a stock of recombinantvirus by producing virus suitable for gene therapy comprising modifiedDNA encoding globinan epitope selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1. This method preferably involves transfectingcells permissive for virus replication (the virus containing an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 modifiedglobin) and collecting the virus produced. The most efficient systemsfor the transfer of genes into neurons both in vitro and in vivo arevectors based on viruses, most notably Herpes Simplex Virus (Geller etal., 1995; During et al., 1994), Adenovirus (Davidson et al., 1993; LaGal La Salle, 1993), Adeno-associated virus (AAV) (Kaplitt and During,1995; During and Leone, 1996) and Lentiviruses (Naldini et al., 1996).Alternative approaches for gene delivery in humans include the use ofnaked, plasmid DNA as well as liposome-DNA complexes (Ulrich et al.,1996; Gao and Huang, 1995). Another approach is the use of AAV plasmidsin which the DNA is polycation-condensed and lipidentrapped andintroduced into the brain by intracerebral gene delivery (Leone et al.US Application No. 2002076394). It should be understood that more thanone transgene could be expressed by the delivered viral vector.Alternatively, separate vectors, each expressing one or more differenttransgenes, can also be delivered to the CNS.

Cotransfection (DNA and marker on separate molecules) are optionallyemployed (see eg U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,914 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,492).As well, a marker (such as Green Fluorescent Protein marker or aderivative) is useful within the vector itself (preferably a viralvector).

Other in vivo gene therapy approaches to the treatment ofneurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS, AD and PD, include transductionwith virus expressing aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylatse (ASDC),suthalamic glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) ((Marutso, Nippon NaikaGakkai Zasshi, 2003, 92 (8), 1461-1466; Howard, Nature Biotechnology,2003, 21 (10), 1117-18).

A vector is optionally administered by direct injection. Methods forinjection into the brain (in particular the striatum) are well known inthe art (Bilang-Bleuel et al (1997) Proc. Acad. Natl. Sci. USA94:8818-8823; Choi-Lundberg et al (1998) Exp. Neurol. 154:261-275;Choi-Lundberg et al (1997) Science 275:838-841; and Mandel et al (1997))Proc. Acad. Natl. Sci. USA 94:14083-14088). Stereotaxic injections maybe given. Vectors are optionally delivered to the brain byconvection-enhanced delivery (CED) achieved by infusion pumps or byosmotic pumps (U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,634). The convection-enhanceddelivery device is optionally an osmotic pump or an infusion pump. (e.g.Alzet Corporation, Hamilton Corporation, Alza, Inc., Palo Alto, Calif.).A catheter, cannula or other injection device is inserted into CNStissue in the chosen subject to deliver the vector. A person skilled inthe art could readily determine which general area of the CNS is anappropriate target for vector delivery. For example, the cholinergicbasal forebrain (particularly, the Ch4 region of the basal forebrain) isa suitable target tissue for the delivery of vectors in the treatment ofa number of neurodegenerative diseases including, Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The compositions can be used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,Alzheimer's disease and/or Parkinson's disease, in methods to treatamyotrophic lateral sclerosis Alzheimer's disease and/or Parkinson'sdisease, and be used in the manufacture of a medicament to treatamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and/or Parkinson'sdisease.

Methods of Treatment Using Isolated Peptides Corresponding to DiseaseSpecific Epitopes

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention is a method of treatingAlzheimer's disease in a subject in need thereof, comprisingadministering to the subject an isolated peptide corresponding to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier. Another aspect of theinvention is a method of treating Parkinson's disease in a subject inneed thereof, comprising administering to the subject an isolatedpeptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessiblein non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier. An additional aspect of the invention is a method of treatingamyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a subject in need thereof, comprisingadministering to the subject an isolated peptide corresponding to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier.

In a preferred embodiment, the epitope comprises an isolated peptideselected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

One embodiment of the invention is a method of treating amyotrophiclateral sclerosis in a subject in need thereof, comprising administeringto the subject one of the compositions of the invention.

Another embodiment of the invention is a method of treating amyotrophiclateral sclerosis in a subject in need thereof, comprising administeringto the subject a composition comprising an amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope, in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier.

In a further embodiment, the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitope comprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consistingof the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

One embodiment of the invention is a method of treating Alzheimer'sdisease in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to thesubject one of the compositions of the invention.

Another embodiment of the invention is a method of treating Alzheimer'sdisease in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to thesubject a composition comprising an isolated peptide corresponding to anAlzheimer's disease-specific epitope in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier.

In a further embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to anAlzheimer's disease-specific epitope comprises an isolated peptideselected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

One embodiment of the invention is a method of treating Parkinson'sdisease in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to thesubject one of the compositions of the invention.

Another embodiment of the invention is a method of treating Parkinson'sdisease in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to thesubject a composition comprising an isolated peptide corresponding toParkinson's disease-specific epitope in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier.

In a further embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to aParkinson's disease-specific epitope comprises an isolated peptideselected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Methods of Treatment Using Isolated Nucleic Acids

An additional aspect of the invention is a method of treatingAlzheimer's disease in a subject in need thereof, comprisingadministering to the subject an isolated nucleic acid that encodes for apeptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessiblein non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier. A further aspect of the invention is a method of treatingParkinson's disease in a subject in need thereof, comprisingadministering to the subject an isolated nucleic acid that encodes for apeptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessiblein non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier. An additional aspect of the invention is a method of treatingamyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a subject in need thereof, comprisingadministering to the subject an isolated nucleic acid that encodes for apeptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessiblein non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier. In certain embodiments the nucleic acids comprise nucleic acidsselected from the group of Table 2C nucleic acids.

In a preferred embodiment, the epitope comprises an isolated peptideselected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

One embodiment of the invention is a method of treating amyotrophiclateral sclerosis in a subject in need thereof, comprising administeringto the subject a composition comprising a nucleic acid that encodes fora peptide corresponding to an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitope in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier. In oneembodiment the nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid selected from thegroup of Table 2C nucleic acids.

In a further embodiment, the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitope comprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consistingof the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

A further embodiment of the invention is a method of treatingAlzheimer's disease in a subject in need thereof, comprisingadministering to the subject a composition comprising a nucleic acidthat encodes for an isolated Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope inadmixture with a suitable diluent or carrier. In one embodiment thenucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid selected from the group of Table2C nucleic acids.

In a further embodiment, the Alzheimer's disease-specific epitopecomprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consisting of theisolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Another embodiment of the invention is a method of treating Parkinson'sdisease in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to thesubject a composition comprising a nucleic acid that encodes a peptidecorresponding to a Parkinson's disease-specific epitope in admixturewith a suitable diluent or carrier. In one embodiment the nucleic acidcomprises a nucleic acid selected from the group of Table 2C nucleicacids.

In a further embodiment, the Parkinson's disease-specific epitopecomprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consisting of theisolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

In one embodiment the invention also provides a method for treating asubject having a medical condition, disease, or disorder mediated by amisfolded form of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the method comprising thestep of administering to the subject a composition comprising apharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and an agent selected from (1) anantibody that binds selectively to the misfolded form of SOD, and/or (2)an immunogen that elicits production of said antibody by said subject,and/or (3) a nucleic acid sequence encoding (1) or (2).

Methods of Eliciting an Immune Response Using an Isolated PeptideCorresponding to a Disease Specific Epitope

These compositions can be used to elicit an immune response in an animaland can be used in methods to elicit an immune response in an animalagainst an epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-nativeSOD1, including the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope,Alzheimer's disease specific epitope or Parkinson's disease-specificepitope.

Another embodiment of the invention is a method of eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal using one of the compositions of the invention. Anaspect of the invention includes a method of eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal, using a composition comprising an isolatedpeptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessiblein non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier. In a preferred embodiment, the isolated peptide correspondingto an epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1 is a peptide selected from the group consisting of the isolatedpeptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

One embodiment includes a method of eliciting an immune response in ananimal, using a composition comprising an isolated peptide correspondingto an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope in admixture with asuitable diluent or carrier.

In a further embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to anamyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope is an isolated peptideselected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Another embodiment includes a method of eliciting an immune response inan animal, using a composition comprising an isolated peptidecorresponding to an Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope in admixturewith a suitable diluent or carrier.

In a further embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to anAlzheimer's disease-specific epitope is an isolated peptide selectedfrom the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table2A, or an analog thereof.

A further embodiment includes a method of eliciting an immune responsein an animal, using a composition comprising an isolated peptidecorresponding to a Parkinson's disease-specific epitope in admixturewith a suitable diluent or carrier.

In a further embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding toParkinson's disease-specific epitope is an isolated peptide selectedfrom the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table2A, or an analog thereof.

Method of Eliciting an Immune Response Using an Isolated Nucleic Acid

Another aspect of the invention includes a method of eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal, using a composition comprising a nucleic acidthat encodes for an isolated peptide corresponding to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 inadmixture with a suitable diluent or carrier to treat Alzheimer'sdisease. An additional aspect of the invention includes a method ofeliciting an immune response in an animal, using a compositioncomprising a nucleic acid that encodes for an isolated peptidecorresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrierto treat Parkinson's disease. A further aspect of the invention includesa method of eliciting an immune response in an animal, using acomposition comprising a nucleic acid that encodes for an isolatedpeptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessiblein non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In a preferred embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to anepitope comprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consistingof the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

One embodiment of the invention includes a method of eliciting an immuneresponse in an animal, using a composition comprising a nucleic acidthat encodes for an isolated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitope in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier.

In a further embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to anamyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope is an isolated peptideselected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

A further embodiment of the invention includes a method of eliciting animmune response in an animal, using a composition comprising a nucleicacid that encodes for a peptide corresponding to an Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitope in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier.

In a further embodiment, the peptide corresponding to an Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitope is a peptide selected from the group consistingof the peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Another embodiment of the invention includes a method of eliciting animmune response in an animal, using a composition comprising a nucleicacid that encodes for an isolated peptide corresponding to anParkinson's disease-specific epitope in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier.

In a further embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to aParkinson's disease-specific epitope is an isolated peptide selectedfrom the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table2A, or an analog thereof.

Use of An Isolated Peptide Corresponding to a Disease Specific Epitopein the Manufacture of a Medicament

A further aspect of the invention is the use of an isolated peptidecorresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 in the manufacture of a medicament to treatAlzheimer's disease. An additional aspect of the invention is the use ofan isolated isolated peptide corresponding to an epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in the manufactureof a medicament to treat Parkinson's disease. A further aspect of theinvention is the use of an isolated isolated peptide corresponding to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1in the manufacture of a medicament to treat amyotrophic lateralsclerosis.

In a preferred embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to anepitope comprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consistingof the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Use of an Isolated Nucleic Acid in the Manufacture of a Medicament

A further aspect of the invention is the use of an isolated nucleic acidthat encodes for a peptide corresponding to an epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in the manufactureof a medicament to treat Alzheimer's disease. An additional aspect ofthe invention is the use of an isolated nucleic acid that encodes for apeptide that corresponds to an epitope selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in the manufacture of amedicament to treat Parkinson's disease. A further aspect of theinvention is the use of an isolated nucleic acid that encodes for apeptide that corresponds to an epitope selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in the manufacture of amedicament to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In a preferred embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to anepitope comprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consistingof the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

As described above, immunogenicity and thus the effectiveness of avaccine can be significantly improved if the immunizing agent (e.g.isolated isolated peptide corresponding to an epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1) and/or compositionsthereof are co-immunized with an adjuvant. Accordingly, the methods anduses of invention include the use of an adjuvant.

Use of Isolated Nucleic Acids Corresponding to Disease Specific Epitopesto Treat SOD1 Mediated Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Another aspect of the invention is the use of an isolated nucleic acidthat corresponds to an epitope selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrierto treat Alzheimer's disease. An additional aspect of the invention isthe use of an isolated nucleic acid that corresponds to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 inadmixture with a suitable diluent or carrier to treat Parkinson'sdisease. A further aspect of the invention is the use of an isolatednucleic acid that corresponds to an epitope selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In alternateembodiments, the invention comprises the use of an isolated nucleic acidthat encodes a peptide that corresponds to a disease specific epitope.

In a preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid encodes a peptide thatcorresponds to a disease specific epitope that comprises a peptideselected from the group consisting of peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A,or an analog thereof.

Another aspect of the invention is the use of an isolated peptidecorresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1, in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier to treat Alzheimer's disease. An additional aspect of theinvention is the use of an isolated peptide corresponding to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 inadmixture with a suitable diluent or carrier to treat Parkinson'sdisease. A further aspect of the invention is the use of an isolatedpeptide corresponding to an epitope selectively presented or accessiblein non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In a preferred embodiment, the isolated peptide corresponding to anepitope comprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consistingof the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Compositions and Uses of Binding Agents Specific for the DiseaseSpecific Epitopes

Agents that Bind Disease Specific Epitopes

Epitopes presented on misfolded SOD1 may be bound and/or neutralized bya number of different natural or engineered agents such as antibodies,other polypeptides, small molecules, affibodies (Wahlberg et al., ProcNatl Acad Sci USA, 100:3185-3190, 2003); anticalins (Schlehuber andSkerra, Biophys Chem., 96:213-28, 2002); and nucleic acid and proteinaptamers (Cullen et al. Cell, 58: 423-466, 1989). In certain embodimentsthe agent is an antibody that selectively binds a disease specificepitope or an analog thereof presented or accessible on non-native SOD1.

Generating Antibodies

The epitopes selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1 can be used to make antibodies. In a preferred embodiment, theantibodies are specific for misfolded SOD1 molecules, preferablymisfolded SOD1 molecules associated with Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease and/or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In one embodiment, the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopescan be used to make antibodies specific for the amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitopes. In a preferred embodiment, the antibodiesare specific for the misfolded SOD1 molecules. In other embodiments, theantibodies are isolated antibodies.

In another embodiment, the isolated antibody specific for theamyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope is made by administeringone of the compositions of the invention to an animal.

Another embodiment includes an isolated antibody for an amyotrophiclateral sclerosis-specific epitope, wherein the amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope comprises an isolated peptide selected fromthe group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, oran analog thereof.

In one embodiment, the Alzheimer's disease-specific epitopes are usefulto make antibodies specific for the Alzheimer's disease-specificepitopes. The antibodies are typically specific for the misfolded SOD1molecules.

In another embodiment, the isolated antibody specific for theAlzheimer's disease-specific epitope is made by administering one of thecompositions of the invention to an animal.

Another embodiment includes an isolated antibody for an Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitope, wherein the Alzheimer's disease-specificepitope comprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consistingof the isolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

In one embodiment, the Parkinson's disease-specific epitopes are usefulto make antibodies specific for the Parkinson's disease-specificepitopes. In a preferred embodiment, the antibodies are specific for themisfolded SOD1 molecules.

In another embodiment, the isolated antibody specific for theParkinson's disease-specific epitope is made by administering one of thecompositions of the invention to an animal.

Another embodiment includes an isolated antibody for a Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitope, wherein the isolated peptide corresponding toa Parkinson's disease-specific epitope used to generate the antibodycomprises an isolated peptide selected from the group consisting of theisolated peptides in Table 2 or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

The term “antibody” as used herein is intended to include monoclonalantibodies including chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies,polyclonal antibodies, humanized antibodies, human antibodies, andchimeric antibodies. The antibody may be from recombinant sources and/orproduced in transgenic animals. The term “antibody fragment” as usedherein is intended to include Fab, Fab′, F(ab′)₂, scFv, dsFv, ds-scFv,dimers, minibodies, diabodies, and multimers thereof and bispecificantibody fragments. Antibodies can be fragmented using conventionaltechniques. For example, F(ab′)₂ fragments can be generated by treatingthe antibody with pepsin. The resulting F(ab′)₂ fragment can be treatedto reduce disulfide bridges to produce Fab′ fragments. Papain digestioncan lead to the formation of Fab fragments. Fab, Fab′ and F(ab′)₂, scFv,dsFv, ds-scFv, dimers, minibodies, diabodies, bispecific antibodyfragments and other fragments can also be synthesized by recombinanttechniques. The antibodies are optionally in any useful isotype,including IgM which in one embodiment is used for diagnosticapplications and IgG, such as IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 which in oneembodiment is used for therapeutic applications.

“Isolated antibody” refers to antibody produced in vivo or in vivo thathas been removed from the source that produced the antibody, forexample, an animal, hybridoma or other cell line (such as recombinantcells that produce antibody). The isolated antibody is optionally“purified”, which means at least: 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98% or 99% purityand optionally pharmaceutical grade purity.

“Endogenous antibody” refers to antibody produced by a subject, such asa mammal (eg. human), as part of an immune response in the subject.

“Exogenous antibody” refers to an antibody that is non-self or foreignto a subject, such as a mammal (eg. human). The term “exogenousantibody” encompasses isolated antibody as well as isolated and purifiedantibody. To produce monoclonal antibodies, antibody producing cells(lymphocytes) can be harvested from a subject immunized with animmunogen comprising an isolated peptide corresponding to a misfoldedSOD1-specific epitope, including an amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope, an Alzheimer's disease specific epitope or aParkinson's disease specific epitope, and fused with myeloma cells bystandard somatic cell fusion procedures thus immortalizing these cellsand yielding hybridoma cells. Such techniques are well known in the art,(e.g. the hybridoma technique originally developed by Kohler andMilstein (42) as well as other techniques such as the human B-cellhybridoma technique (43), the EBV-hybridoma technique to produce humanmonoclonal antibodies (44), and screening of combinatorial antibodylibraries (45). Hybridoma cells can be screened immunochemically forproduction of antibodies specifically reactive with the amyotrophiclateral sclerosis-specific epitopes and the monoclonal antibodies can beisolated.

Specific antibodies, or antibody fragments, reactive against particularantigens or molecules, such as epitopes selectively presented oraccessible in misfolded forms of SOD1, including amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitopes, Alzheimer's disease specific epitopes orParkinson's disease specific epitopes may also be generated by screeningexpression libraries encoding immunoglobulin genes, or portions thereof,expressed in bacteria with cell surface components. For example,complete Fab fragments, VH regions and FV regions can be expressed inbacteria using phage expression libraries (see for example Ward et al.(46); Huse et al. (45); and McCafferty et al. (47)).

The term “humanized antibody” as used herein means that the antibody orfragment comprises human conserved framework regions (alternativelyreferred to as constant regions) and the hypervariable regions(alternatively referred to as the antigen binding domain) are ofnon-human origin. For example, the hypervariable region may be from amouse, rat or other species. The humanization of antibodies fromnon-human species has been well described in the literature. See forexample EP-B1 0 239400 and Carter & Merchant 1997 (Curr Opin Biotechnol8, 449-454, 1997 incorporated by reference in their entirety herein).Humanized antibodies are also readily obtained commercially (eg. ScotgenLimited, 2 Holly Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, Great Britain.)

Humanized forms of rodent antibodies are readily generated by CDRgrafting (Riechmann et al. Nature, 332:323-327, 1988). In this approachthe six CDR loops comprising the antigen binding site of the rodentmonoclonal antibody are linked to corresponding human framework regions.CDR grafting often yields antibodies with reduced affinity as the aminoacids of the framework regions may influence antigen recognition (Foote& Winter. J Mol Biol, 224: 487-499, 1992). To maintain the affinity ofthe antibody, it is often necessary to replace certain frameworkresidues by site directed mutagenesis or other recombinant techniquesand may be aided by computer modeling of the antigen binding site (Co etal. J Immunol, 152: 2968-2976, 1994).

Humanized forms of antibodies are optionally obtained by resurfacing(Pedersen et al. J Mol Biol, 235: 959-973, 1994). In this approach onlythe surface residues of a rodent antibody are humanized.

The term “human antibodies” as used herein refers to antibodies thatare, or correspond to, antibodies that are produced endogenously in ahuman subject, however, human antibodies are also optionally producedexogenously through biochemical techniques. Human antibodies specific toa particular antigen may be identified by a phage display strategy(Jespers et al. Bio/Technology, 12: 899-903, 1994). In one approach, theheavy chain of a rodent antibody directed against a specific antigen iscloned and paired with a repertoire of human light chains for display asFab fragments on filamentous phage. The phage is selected by binding toantigen. The selected human light chain is subsequently paired with arepertoire of human heavy chains for display on phage, and the phage isagain selected by binding to antigen. The result is a human antibody Fabfragment specific to a particular antigen. In another approach,libraries of phage are produced were members display different humanantibody fragments (Fab or Fv) on their outer surfaces (Dower et al., WO91/17271 and McCafferty et al., WO 92/01047). Phage displayingantibodies with a desired specificity are selected by affinityenrichment to a specific antigen. The human Fab or Fv fragmentidentified from either approach may be recloned for expression as ahuman antibody in mammalian cells.

Human antibodies are optionally obtained from transgenic animals (U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,150,584; 6,114,598; and 5,770,429). In this approach theheavy chain joining region (JH) gene in a chimeric or germ-line mutantmouse is deleted. Human germ-line immunoglobulin gene array issubsequently transferred to such mutant mice. The resulting transgenicmouse is then capable of generating a full repertoire of humanantibodies upon antigen challenge.

Humanized or human antibodies are selected from any class ofimmunoglobulins including: IgM, IgG, IgD, IgA or IgE; and any isotype,including: IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4. The humanized or human antibodymay include sequences from one or more than one isotype or class.Further, these antibodies are typically produced as antigen bindingfragments such as Fab, Fab′ F(ab′)₂, Fd, Fv and single domain antibodyfragments, or as single chain antibodies in which the heavy and lightchains are linked by a spacer. Also, the human or humanized antibodiesmay exist in monomeric or polymeric form. The humanized antibodyoptionally comprises one non-human chain and one humanized chain (i.e.one humanized heavy or light chain).

Additionally, antibodies specific for the epitopes of the invention arereadily isolated by screening antibody phage display libraries. Forexample, an antibody phage library is optionally screened by using adisease specific epitope of the current invention to identify antibodyfragments specific for the disease specific epitope. Antibody fragmentsidentified are optionally used to produce a variety of recombinantantibodies that are useful with different embodiments of the presentinvention. Antibody phage display libraries are commercially available,for example, through Xoma (Berkeley, Calif.) Methods for screeningantibody phage libraries are well known in the art.

The invention also comprises in one embodiment antibodies thatselectively compete with antibodies raised using an immunogen comprisingan isolated peptide from Table 2 and Table 2A and analogs thereof.Competition assays are performed to provide a method of determiningwhether a test antibody displaces an antibody of the invention describedherein, comprising contacting an epitope presented in a non-native formof SOD1 with a test antibody and an antibody raised using an immunogencomprising an isolated peptide from Table 2, Table 2A or analogs thereofand next determining whether the test antibody selectively displaces theantibody of the invention from binding the epitope. The test antibody isconsidered to selectively displace the antibody of the invention if thetest antibody has at least 1.5 times or at least 2 times greater bindingaffinity for the epitope.

These antibodies specific for epitopes selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1 can be used to treat Alzheimer'sdisease, Parkinson's disease and/or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Inone embodiment, the antibodies of the invention can be used to treatamyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In a further embodiment, the antibodiesof the invention can be used to treat Alzheimer's disease. In anotherembodiment, the antibodies of the invention can be used to treatParkinson's disease. For example, passive infusion of antibodiesspecific for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope may inhibitSOD1 aggregate formation and/or may block SOD1 template directedmisfolding.

Compositions Comprising Antibodies

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention is a composition to treatAlzheimer's disease comprising an effective amount of an antibodyspecific for epitopes or analogs thereof selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier. A further aspect of the invention is a compositionto treat Parkinson's disease comprising an effective amount of anantibody specific for epitopes selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier. An additional aspect of the invention is a composition to treatamyotrophic lateral sclerosis comprising an effective amount of anantibody specific for epitopes selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier.

In a preferred embodiment, the epitope comprises an isolated peptideselected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

One aspect of the invention is a composition to treat amyotrophiclateral sclerosis comprising an effective amount of an antibody specificfor the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopes in admixturewith a suitable diluent or carrier.

In one embodiment, the antibodies are humanized antibodies. In anotherembodiment, the antibodies are administered into the blood or spinalfluid of a subject with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A further aspect of the invention is a composition to treat Alzheimer'sdisease comprising an effective amount of an antibody specific for theAlzheimer's disease-specific epitopes in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier.

In one embodiment, the antibodies are humanized antibodies. In anotherembodiment, the antibodies are administered into the blood or spinalfluid of a subject with Alzheimer's disease.

Another aspect of the invention is a composition to treat Parkinson'sdisease comprising an effective amount of an antibody specific for theParkinson's disease-specific epitopes in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier.

In one embodiment, the antibodies are humanized antibodies. In anotherembodiment, the antibodies are administered into the blood or spinalfluid of a subject with Parkinson's disease. Also provided is DSE1a, andimmunogens based on it, as well as antibodies. Also provided arehybridomas producing DSE1a, DSE2 and DSE5, their use to produceantibodies.

The invention also includes methods and uses of the antibodies to treatamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson'sdisease.

Method of Treatment: Passive Immunization

An aspect of the invention is a method of treating Alzheimer's diseasein a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject abinding agent such as an antibody that binds to an epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with asuitable diluent or carrier. Another aspect of the invention is a methodof treating Parkinson's disease in a subject in need thereof, comprisingadministering to the subject an antibody that binds to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 inadmixture with a suitable diluent or carrier. A further aspect of theinvention is a method of treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in asubject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject anantibody that binds to an epitope selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier.

In addition to antibodies, epitopes presented on misfolded SOD1 may bebound and/or neutralized by a number of different natural or engineeredagents such as other polypeptides, small molecules, affibodies (Wahlberget al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 100:3185-3190, 2003); anticalins(Schlehuber and Skerra, Biophys Chem., 96:213-28, 2002); and nucleicacid and protein aptamers (Cullen et al. Cell, 58: 423-466, 1989).

Affibodies are engineered binding proteins based on the three-helixscaffold of the Z domain derived from staphylococcal protein A (Wahlberget al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 100:3185-3190, 2003). The Z domainconsists of 58 residues that bind to the Fc portion of IgG fromdifferent species (Nygren and Uhlen. Curr Opin Struct Biol., 7:463-469,1997). By simultaneously randomizing 13 amino acid positions located atthe two helices making up the Fc-binding face of the Z domain, a libraryof binding proteins (affibodies) are created and used to screen forbinding to desired targets by phage display technology (Nord, et al.Protein Eng., 8:601-608, 1995; Nord et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 15:772-777,1997). Affibodies have a secondary structure similar to the native Zdomain and have micromolar range dissociation constants (KD) for theirrespective targets (Nord et al. Nat. Biotechnol., 15:772-777, 1997).

Anticalins are a class of engineered ligand-binding proteins derivedfrom the lipocalin protein scaffold (Schlehuber and Skerra, BiophysChem., 96:213-28, 2002; Weiss and Lowman. Chem. Biol., 7:R177-R184,2000; Skerra. J Biotechnol., 74:257-275, 2001). The process of preparinganticalins is described in EP1017814. The ligand-binding site ofanticalins may be re-engineered by amino acid substitutions, or otherrecombinant approaches, to alter the binding specificity of the protein.Anticalins are similar to antibodies in that they possess high affinityand specificity for their prescribed ligands. However, anticalins have anumber of advantages over antibodies including a smaller size; singlepeptide composition; and a binding site that is easily manipulated.

Aptamers are short single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides, RNAoligonucleotides or polypeptides with the capacity to recognize varioustarget molecules with high affinity and specificity (Cullen et al. Cell,58: 423-466, 1989). Aptamers are optionally identified by an in vitroevolution and selection process called SELEX (systemic evolution ofligands by exponential enrichment), and methods for obtaining aptamersspecific for a polypeptide of interest are known in the art. See, e.g.,Brody E N, Gold L. J Biotechnol. 2000 March; 74(1):5-13. Methods forefficient selection of aptamers that bind to any polypeptide of interestare described in U.S. Pub. No. 20050142582.

Like antibodies, aptamers assume a specific and stable three-dimensionalshape in vivo, which provides for specific binding to target moleculesand elicit a biological response. Further, the binding affinities ofaptamers are analogous to that of antibodies (reviewed in Nimjee et al.Annu Rev Med, 56: 555-83, 2005). Aptamers have a number of advantagesover antibodies including stability at 80° C., long shelf life, lowimmunogenicity (Retina, 22: 143-152, 2002), low inter-batch variability,broad tissue distribution due to their small size, readily modified toalter its tissue distribution and clearance properties, e.g. bypegylation (Tucker et al. J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl, 732: 203-212,1999).

In a preferred embodiment, the epitope comprises an isolated peptideselected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Use of Antibodies to Treat Disease

A further aspect of the invention is the use of an antibody that bindsto an epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent or carrier to treatAlzheimer's disease. An additional aspect of the invention is the use ofan antibody that binds to an epitope selectively presented or accessiblein non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitable diluent orcarrier to treat Parkinson's disease. A further aspect of the inventionis the use of an antibody that binds to an epitope selectively presentedor accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 in admixture with a suitablediluent or carrier to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In a preferred embodiment, the epitope comprises an isolated peptideselected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

Use of Antibody in Manufacture of a Medicament

A further aspect of the invention is the use of an antibody that bindsto an epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1 in the manufacture of a medicament to treat Alzheimer's disease. Anadditional aspect of the invention is the use of an antibody that bindsto an epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1 in the manufacture of a medicament to treat Parkinson's' disease.Another aspect of the invention is the use of an antibody that binds toan epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1 in the manufacture of a medicament to treat amyotrophic lateralsclerosis.

In a preferred embodiment, the epitope comprises an isolated peptideselected from the group consisting of the isolated peptides in Table 2or Table 2A, or an analog thereof.

The above disclosure generally describes the present invention. A morecomplete understanding can be obtained by reference to the followingspecific examples. These examples are described solely for the purposeof illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention. Changes in form and substitution of equivalents arecontemplated as circumstances might suggest or render expedient.Although specific terms have been employed herein, such terms areintended in a descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation.

Methods of Administering Compositions

The compositions of the invention are readily administered for example,by parenteral, intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intracranial,intraventricular, intrathecal, intraorbital, ophthalmic, intracapsular,intraspinal, intracisternal, intraperitoneal, intranasal, aerosol ororal administration.

In certain embodiments, the pharmaceutical composition is administeredsystemically.

In other embodiments, the pharmaceutical composition is administered tothe directly to the brain or other portion of the CNS. For example suchmethods include the use of an implantable catheter and a pump, whichwould serve to discharge a pre-determined dose through the catheter tothe infusion site. A person skilled in the art would further recognizethat the catheter may be implanted by surgical techniques that permitvisualization of the catheter so as to position the catheter adjacent tothe desired site of administration or infusion in the brain. Suchtechniques are described in Elsberry et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,014“Techniques of Treating Neurodegenerative Disorders by Brain Infusion”,which is herein incorporated by reference. The inventors have alsocontemplated other methods such as those described in US patentapplication 20060129126 (Kaplitt and During “Infusion device and methodfor infusing material into the brain of a patient”. Devices fordelivering drugs to the brain and other parts of the CNS arecommercially available (eg. SynchroMed® EL Infusion System; Medtronic,Minneapolis, Minn.)

In another embodiment, the pharmaceutical composition is administered tothe brain using methods such as modifying the compounds of the inventionto allow receptor-mediated transport across the blood brain barrier.

Other embodiments contemplate the co-administration of the compounds ofthe invention with biologically active molecules known to facilitate thetransport across the blood brain barrier.

In another embodiment, the compounds of the invention are reformulatedas fusion or chimeric proteins in order to enable their transport acrossthe blood brain barrier. Such technologies are described in U.S. Pat.No. 4,902,505, “Chimeric peptides for neuropeptide delivery through theblood-brain barrier”.

The invention also contemplates additional methods for administering thecompounds across the blood brain barrier such as those directed attransiently increasing the permeability of the blood brain barrier asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,012,061 “Method for increasing thepermeability of the blood brain barrier”.

A person skilled in the art will recognize the variety of suitablemethods for administering the compounds of the invention directly to thebrain or across the blood brain barrier and be able to modify thesemethods in order to safely administer the products of the invention.

Doses and Formulations

The dosage form is optionally a liquid dosage form. The term “liquiddosage form” refers to non-solid dosage forms suitable for, but notlimited to, parenteral, intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular,intracranial, intraventricular, intrathecal, intraorbital, ophthalmic,intracapsular, intraspinal, intracisternal, intraperitoneal, intranasal,aerosol or oral administration. Solutions of a compound of the inventioncan be prepared in water suitably mixed with a surfactant such ashydroxypropylcellulose. Dispersions can also be prepared in glycerol,liquid polyethylene glycols, DMSO and mixtures thereof with or withoutalcohol, and in oils. Under ordinary conditions of storage and use,these preparations contain a preservative to prevent the growth ofmicroorganisms. A person skilled in the art would know how to preparesuitable formulations. Conventional procedures and ingredients for theselection and preparation of suitable formulations are described, forexample, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences (2003-20th edition) andin The United States Pharmacopeia: The National Formulary (USP 24 NF19)published in 1999. Formulations optionally contain excipients including,but not limited to, a buffering agents, an anti-oxidant, a stabilizer, acarrier, a diluent, and an agent for pH adjustment.

The pharmaceutical forms suitable for injectable use include sterileaqueous solutions or dispersion and sterile powders for theextemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions ordispersions. In all cases the form must be sterile and must be fluid tothe extent that easy syringability exists.

A person skilled in the art would recognize that the dosage form andformulation chosen depends on characteristics of the composition. Forexample a person skilled in the art would know that a compositioncomprising an antibody may require a different formulation than acomposition comprising a nucleic acid and would choose a formulation anddosage form suitable to the composition.

Additional factors that affect the effective dose of a formulationinclude the route of administration, the target site, the physiologicalstate of the subject, the species of the subject, whether the treatmentis prophylactic or therapeutic, whether other medications were areadministered, and whether an adjuvant is also administered.

The timing of the immunizations optionally vary from once a day, to oncea week, to once a month, to once a year, to once a decade. A typicalregimen includes an immunization followed by booster injections at 6weekly intervals. Another regimen consists of immunization followed bybooster injections 1, 2 and 12 months later. Alternatively, boosterinjections will vary depending on the immune response and thephysiological condition of the subject.

For passive immunization using an antibody directed against an epitopederived from a non-native form of SOD1, the dose optionally ranges fromabout 0.0001 mg/kg to about 100 mg/kg, about 0.01 mg/kg to about 5mg/kg, about 0.15 mg/kg to about 3 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg to about 2 mg/kg andabout 1 mg/kg to about 2 mg/kg of the subject's body weight. In otherembodiments the dose ranges from about 100 mg/kg to about 5 g/kg, about500 mg/kg to about 2 mg/kg and about 750 mg/kg to about 1.5 g/kg of thesubject's body weight.

For active immunization using immunogens comprising isolated peptides orrelated molecules corresponding to disease specific epitopes ofnon-native forms of SOD1, the dose optionally ranges from about 0.0001microgram to 10 grams, about 0.01 microgram to about 1 gram, about 1microgram to about 1 mg, and about 100 to 250 micrograms per treatment.In one embodiment the timing of administering treatment is at one ormore of the following: 0 months, 2 months, 6 months, 9 months, and/or 12months. In one regimen, the dosing is at 2, 6, 9, and 12 monthsfollowing the first immunization. In another regimen, the dosing is at 2and 4 weeks following the first immunization, and then monthlyafterwards. In an alternative regimen, the dosing varies depending onthe physiological condition of the subject and/or the response to thesubject to prior immunizations. The route of administration optionallyincludes, but is not limited to, intramuscular and intraperitonealinjections. In one embodiment the composition is injected into thedeltoid muscle.

Where an isolated peptide corresponding to an epitope is too small to beimmunogenic, or where immunogenicity is improved, the peptide isoptionally linked or coupled to a suitable carrier. Suitable carriersinclude, but are not limited to, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, MAP antigen,serum albumins, immunoglobulin molecules and toxoids from pathogenicbacteria. Peptides may be linked to carriers by chemical crosslinking,for instance to form dendrimers. In the alternative, immunogenicpeptides may be expressed as fusion proteins with carriers.

Monoclonal antibodies such as humanized mAb can be used by intravenousinfusion. The therapeutic concentration of SOD1 DSE humanized antibodymay be 1-10 micrograms per mL local concentration in the CNS. In thesetting of a non-disrupted blood brain barrier (BBB) only 1/100 to1/1000 of IgG penetrates the CNS. Thus, the concentration of therapeuticantibody in the peripheral circulation necessary to reach thisconcentration in the CNS would be on the order of 100 micrograms/ml tomaximally 10 mg/ml, close to the pre-treatment level of IgG in humanplasma. Considering the human blood volume to be about 5 liters, dosingof 50 grams would be the upper limit, which is similar to the dose ofpooled polyclonal intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) used to treat manyinflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Considering the degradation ofhuman IgG requires 3-4 weeks, dosing once per 3 weeks should constitutean effective regimen. However, dosing of humanized anti-DSE monoclonalantibodies could be much lower than the above calculation, based onmouse treatment experiments provided in the examples below. We havefound that dosing G93A mice intraperitoneally with 1 mg of DSE2 antibodywas therapeutically effective. Considering the volume of blood in amouse is 6-7 mL per 100 grams body weight, circulating concentration ofthe DSE2 mAb was on the order of 1 mg/mL. For dosing of a human beingwith ALS, this would translate to 1/10 of the circulating normal IgG(ordinarily about 10 mg/mL). Human blood volume is on the order of 5liters, which would suggest an effective therapeutic dose of humanizedDSE2 antibody on the order of 5 grams via IV infusion. Moreover, milddisruption of the BBB has been noted in ALS, which is presumably maximalin regions of greatest neuroinflammation, i.e., those regions in whichthe disease is most manifest, such as the anterior horn motor neurons,and the cortical motor neurons, as well as certain fiber tracts that aresubserved by cortical motor neurons. Thus, it is possible that selectiveBBB disruption in regions of maximal disease will permit therapeuticefficacy for lower circulating concentrations of anti-DSE SOD1antibodies.

Humanized DSE mAbs can be used for direct infusion into the CNS via theintraventricular route or by the intrathecal route. Examples of medicaldevices which are used for this purpose are manufactured by MedTronic.As the CSF recirculates several times daily, ongoing infusion isrequired, rather than a 3-4 week dosing regimen. The end concentrationof 1-10 micrograms per mL will be achieved by infusion of as much as 5mg per day in the 500 mL per day CSF.

Combination Therapies

The present methods thus provide for the immunotherapeutic applicationof SOD1 antibodies in the treatment of conditions, disorders or diseasesmarked by the presence of misfolded or monomeric SOD1.

The treatment of an afflicted subject can be conducted by monotherapy,in the manner just described, by administering a selected antibody orepitope-based vaccine. In embodiments of the present invention, thepresent method can also be conducted by administering more than oneantibody species, or more than one epitope species. For instance, themethod can be conducted by administering an antibody to theelectrostatic loop structure [DSE 2] and an antibody to an epitopeaccessible only on the SOD dimer interface [DSE1a]. In one embodiment,the method of the present invention is conducted using antibodies thatbind selectively to at least two different epitopes accessibleselectively on misfolded SOD1, such as a surface epitope on the SODdimer, and an interface epitope on the SOD monomer. Similarly, themethod can be conducted by administering two different epitopes, in theform of vaccines useful to raise antibodies to those two differentepitopes on misfolded or monomeric SOD1. In one embodiment, the methodentails administration of two or more epitopes, for instance DSE1a andDSE2. In another embodiment, the method entails administration of threeor more epitopes, for instance DSE1a, DSE2 and DSE5. Furthermore, themethod can be conducted using a combination of both passiveimmunotherapy and active immunotherapy, in which the subject is treatedto receive both a selected antibody and a selected epitope-basedvaccine.

The method can also be conducted as a combination therapy in which theselected SOD1 antibody and/or epitope is administered in combinationwith another agent useful therapeutically in the treatment or managementof the particular disease. For Alzheimer's disease, for instance, usefulcombination therapies include administration of agents that control orreduce accumulation of Abeta aggregates, fibrils or protofibrils. Inembodiments, such agents include vaccines based on Abeta and Abetafragments. Other agents useful in combination with the present therapyfor treatment of Alzheimer's disease include deprenyl, thecholinesterase inhibitors donepezil, rivastigmine and galantimine, aswell as memantine and vitamin E.

Similarly, in combination therapies for the treatment of Parkinson'sdisease, the present therapeutics can be used in combination withinhibitors of alpha-synuclein aggregation, such as vaccines basedthereon, as well as levodopa, carbidopa and entacapone, dopamineagonists such as pergolide and rotigotine, amantadine, anticholinergicssuch as procyclidine, COMT inhibitors, and MOA-B inhibitors such asselegiline and rasagiline.

In combination therapies for the treatment of ALS, the presenttherapeutics can be used in combination with riluzole and otherglutamate inhibitors.

The inventors have also found that copper is retained in metal-catalyzedoxidized SOD1, which is a DSE-2 immunoreactive aggregated species. Theinventors also find that SOD1 oxidized by treatment with hydrogenperoxide displays DSE2 immunoreactivity (FIG. 2). The DSE2 antibody,which reacts against the SOD1 electrostatic loop of the active site, maybe physically blocking access to the retained copper of the misfoldedspecies, and thus reducing the catalysis of reactive oxygen and nitrogenspecies via the Haber-Weiess reaction, the Fenton reaction, and others.Notably, high concentrations of ascorbate in the CNS may be facilitatingredox cycling of the copper bound by misfolded SOD1, enhancing itsability to generate ROS and RNS. The aggregated state of SOD1, which hasbeen preferentially secreted from neurons (1), impairs its clearance anddegradation, “trapping” copper in a catalytically active neurotoxic formin close proximity to motor neurons in ALS, and hippocampal and otherneurons in AD. The possibility that Abeta may contribute to this toxicredox cycling of copper in AD (83), is noted.

Accordingly in a particularly useful combination therapy, the presenttherapeutics are used in combination with an antioxidant, for thetreatment of ALS, AD and PD as well as other disorders in whichdysfunctional SOD1 and/or SOD1 aggregation results in the toxicaccumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reactive nitrogenspecies (RNS). The antioxidants are a well known group of readilyavailable agents, and include vitamins ascorbic acid andalpha-tocopherol, and pharmacological agents such as N-acetylcysteine.In embodiments of the present method, the antioxidant is a functionalSOD synthetic, which mimics the enzymatic action of endogenous SOD toreduce accumulation of superoxide radicals. Related useful drugs includethose which stabilize the SOD dimer, as described for instance byLansbury et al in US 2006/0194821, incorporated herein by reference.Other drugs having the same effect are useful as well. In particularembodiments, the antioxidant is a copper chelator, such aspenicillamine, clioquinol, 8-hydroxyquinoline and derivatives such asthose described US2006/0089380, cuprizone, picolinic acid-basedcompounds, molybdenum compounds, L-taurine or other drug having theeffect of inhibiting the redox cycling mediated by copper ion. Stillother useful antioxidants include superoxide scavengers, peroxidescavengers, and scavengers of RNS. In a particular embodiment of theinvention, the present therapeutics are used in combination withresveritrol, an antioxidant present in red grapes and wine. In aspecific embodiment, the DSE2 antibody or epitope is used in combinationwith resveritrol.

When used in combination with the present therapeutics, the combinationagent is administered in the manner prescribed for that agent, inaccordance with standard practice.

Diagnostics

The antibodies specific for SOD1 disease specific epitopes such asamyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitopes can also be used todiagnose amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Thus, one aspect of theinvention is a method of detecting or diagnosing amyotrophic lateralsclerosis in a subject comprising the steps of:

-   -   (a) contacting a test sample of said subject with an antibody of        the invention, wherein the antibody binds to an amyotrophic        lateral sclerosis-specific epitope to produce an        antibody-antigen complex;    -   (b) measuring the amount of the antibody-antigen complex in the        test sample; and    -   (c) comparing the amount of antibody-antigen complex in the test        sample to a control        wherein a difference in the amount of antibody-antigen complex        in the test sample as compared to the control is indicative of        amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Optionally, in the case where the epitope is masked within the SOD1aggregate, the method comprises the further step of treating the sampleunder disaggregation conditions, using for instance guanidiniumhydrochloride, to liberate the misfolded SOD for subsequent detection.

The phrase “detecting or monitoring amyotrophic lateral sclerosis”refers to a method or process of determining if a subject has or doesnot have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or the extent of the amyotrophiclateral sclerosis. In addition, the antibodies of the invention can beused to detect or monitor the appearance and progression of SOD1aggregation, and hence progression of the disease. The antibodies arefurther useful to monitor progression of the disease during treatingwith a method of the invention.

The term “control” as used herein refers to a sample from a subject or agroup of subjects who are either known as having amyotrophic lateralsclerosis or not having amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A person skilledin the art will appreciate that the difference in the amount ofantibody-antigen complex will vary depending on the control. Forexample, if the control is known to have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,then less measurable antibody-antigen complex in the test sample ascompared to the control indicates that the subject does not haveamyotrophic lateral sclerosis or that they have less of an extent ofamyotrophic lateral sclerosis. If the control is known to haveamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, then equal or greater measurableantibody-antigen complex in the test sample as compared to the controlindicates that the subject has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. If thecontrol is known not to have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, then less orequal measurable antibody-antigen complex in the test sample as comparedto the control indicates that the subject does not have amyotrophiclateral sclerosis. If the control is known not to have amyotrophiclateral sclerosis, then greater measurable antibody-antigen complex inthe test sample as compared to the control indicates that the subjecthas amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The term “sample” as used herein refers to any fluid, cell or tissuesample from a subject which can be assayed for misfolded SOD1. In oneembodiment, the sample comprises, without limitation, cerebrospinalfluid, plasma, blood serum, whole blood, spinal cord tissue, braincells, motor neurons, a portion of the dorsal horn, or peripheral bloodcells, such as erythrocytes, mononuclear cells, lymphocytes, monocytesand granulocytes. In another embodiment, invention is a method ofdetecting or diagnosing Alzheimer's disease in a subject comprising thesteps of:

-   -   (a) contacting a test sample of said subject with an antibody of        the invention, wherein the antibody binds to an Alzheimer's        disease-specific epitope to produce an antibody-antigen complex;    -   (b) measuring the amount of the antibody-antigen complex in the        test sample; and    -   (c) comparing the amount of antibody-antigen complex in the test        sample to a control        wherein a difference in the amount of antibody-antigen complex        in the test sample as compared to the control is indicative of        Alzheimer's disease.

Optionally, in the case where the epitope is masked within the SOD1aggregate, the method comprises the further step of treating the sampleunder disaggregation conditions, using for instance guanidiniumhydrochloride, to liberate the misfolded SOD for subsequent detection.In a further embodiment, invention is a method of detecting ordiagnosing Parkinson's disease in a subject comprising the steps of:

-   -   (a) contacting a test sample of said subject with an antibody of        the invention, wherein the antibody binds to a Parkinson's        disease-specific epitope to produce an antibody-antigen complex;    -   (b) measuring the amount of the antibody-antigen complex in the        test sample; and    -   (c) comparing the amount of antibody-antigen complex in the test        sample to a control        wherein a difference in the amount of antibody-antigen complex        in the test sample as compared to the control is indicative of        Parkinson's disease.

Optionally, in the case where the epitope is masked within the SOD1aggregate, the method comprises the further step of treating the sampleunder disaggregation conditions, using for instance guanidiniumhydrochloride, to liberate the misfolded SOD for subsequent detection.

A further aspect of the invention is a method of detecting or diagnosingLewy Body disease in a subject comprising the steps of:

-   -   (a) contacting a test sample from said subject with an antibody        that binds to an epitope selectively presented or accessible in        non-native forms of SOD1, wherein the antibody binds to the        epitope to produce an antibody-antigen complex;    -   (b) measuring the amount of the antibody-antigen complex in the        test sample; and    -   (c) comparing the amount of antibody-antigen complex in the test        sample to a control,        wherein a difference in the amount of antibody-antigen complex        in the test sample as compared to the control is indicative of        Lewy body disease.

Optionally, and in the case where the misfolded SOD1 epitope is maskedwithin a SOD1 aggregation, the method provides for the step of treatingthe sample to promote disaggregation of the SOD1 aggregates to exposethe target epitope prior to step (a).

In the case where the epitope is masked within the SOD1 aggregate, themethod comprises the further step of treating the sample underdisaggregation conditions, using for instance guanidinium hydrochloride,to liberate the misfolded SOD1 for subsequent detection. A personskilled in the art will appreciate that “disaggregation conditions”refers to conditions that promote the dissociation of the aggregate intosmaller units, such as dimers or monomers of SOD1. This is differentthan denaturing the protein. Accordingly, a person skilled in the artwill appreciate that concentrations of guanidinium hydrochloride (forexample) can be used that dissociate, but do not denature, the SOD1aggregates.

The phrase “detecting or monitoring Alzheimer's disease” refers to amethod or process of determining if a subject has or does not haveAlzheimer's disease or the extent of the Alzheimer's disease. Inaddition, the antibodies of the invention can be used to detect ormonitor the appearance and progression of SOD1 aggregation, and henceprogression of the disease.

The phrase “detecting or monitoring Parkinson's disease” refers to amethod or process of determining if a subject has or does not haveParkinson's disease or the extent of the Parkinson's disease. Inaddition, the antibodies of the invention can be used to detect ormonitor the appearance and progression of SOD1 aggregation, and henceprogression of the disease.

The phrase “detecting or monitoring Lewy Body disease” refers to amethod or process of determining if a subject has or does not have LewyBody disease or the extent of the Lewy Body disease. In addition, theantibodies of the invention can be used to detect or monitor theappearance and progression of SOD1 aggregation, and hence progression ofthe disease.

In one embodiment of the invention, the antibodies are used to determineif misfolded SOD1 is present in the sample. In another embodiment, theantibodies are labeled with a detectable marker.

In another embodiment, the epitopes are used to monitor the appearanceand titre of antibodies introduced into or raised within a recipient. Inthis embodiment, a patient sample is mixed with the epitope, andpreferably a labeled epitope, and the presence or quantity of boundantibody is determined.

The label is preferably capable of producing, either directly orindirectly, a detectable signal. For example, the label may beradio-opaque or a radioisotope, such as ³H, ¹⁴C, ³²P, ³⁵S, ¹²³I, ¹²⁵I,¹³¹I; a fluorescent (fluorophore) or chemiluminescent (chromophore)compound, such as fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine or luciferin; anenzyme, such as alkaline phosphatase, beta-galactosidase or horseradishperoxidase; an imaging agent; or a metal ion.

In another embodiment, the detectable signal is detectable indirectly.For example, a secondary antibody that is specific for the antibody ofthe invention and contains a detectable label can be used to detect theantibody of the invention.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that a number of methods canbe used to determine if misfolded SOD1 is present in a sample using theantibodies of the invention, including immunoassays such as flowcytometry, Western blots, ELISA, and immunoprecipitation followed bySDS-PAGE immunocytochemistry.

In one embodiment of the invention, a misfolded-SOD1 related disease,such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lewy Body and/oramyotrophic lateral sclerosis is detected or monitored in a subjectusing flow cytometry of a sample from the subject, including peripheralblood cells, such as erythrocytes, mononuclear cells, lymphocytes,monocytes and/or granulocytes, or mononuclear cells found incerebrospinal fluid. In a further embodiment, the cells assayed usingflow cytometry can be permeablized using reagents known to personsskilled in the art including, without limitation, detergents, ethanol,methanol and paraformaldehyde.

In one embodiment of the invention, a misfolded-SOD1 related disease,such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and/or Lewy bodydisease can be detected or monitored in a subject using flow cytometryof a sample from the subject, including peripheral blood cells, such aserythrocytes, mononuclear cells, lymphocytes, monocytes and/orgranulocytes, or mononuclear cells found in cerebrospinal fluid. In afurther embodiment, the cells assayed using flow cytometry can bepermeablized using reagents known to persons skilled in the artincluding, without limitation, detergents, ethanol, methanol andparaformaldehyde.

In another embodiment, a misfolded-SOD1 related disease, such asAlzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and/or Lewy Body disease can bedetected or monitored using the epitope protection assay described in WO2005/019828 entitled “Epitope Protection Assay and Method for DetectingProtein Conformations”, which entered national phase in the UnitedStates on Feb. 17, 2006. In another embodiment, amyotrophic lateralsclerosis is detected or monitored using the epitope protection assaydescribed in WO 2005/019828.

Any of the methods of the invention to diagnose, detect or monitor SOD1aggregation and development of a misfolded-SOD1 related disease can beused in addition or in combination with traditional diagnostictechniques for misfolded-SOD1 related diseases.

Any of the methods of the invention to diagnose, detect or monitor SOD1aggregation and development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis can be usedin addition or in combination with traditional diagnostic techniques foramyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Traditional diagnostic techniques foramyotrophic lateral sclerosis include physical and neurologicalexaminations, and can include electromyography tests, nerve conditionvelocity tests, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Traditional diagnostic techniques for Alzheimer's disease includephysical and neurological examinations, and can include brain scans,mental status examinations, and memory function tests. Traditionaldiagnostic techniques for Parkinson's disease include physical andneurological examinations, and include brain scans. Traditionaldiagnostic techniques for Lewy Body disease include physical andneurological examinations, and include brain scans.

The diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease, and the monitoring ofprogression of these disorders, is unsatisfactory at this time. Definitediagnosis can only be made by tissue examination on necropsy evaluationafter death, or by biopsy (almost never utilized in neurodegenerativediseases). It is not an exaggeration to state that antemortempresumptive diagnosis of ALS, AD, and PD is made on the basis ofclinical features, which are often shared with other diseases, and byattempting to exclude other disorders that mimic the disease inquestion. “Diagnosis by exclusion” is conducted through neuroimaging(MRI and CAT scans) and blood tests to rule out confounding diagnoses(such as thyroid function tests). Specialized testing for the separateneurodegenerative disorders (such as neuropsychological assessment forAD, PET scanning for PD, and electromyography for ALS, along with theclinical exam, are predictive of autopsy diagnosis 70-90% of AD and PDpatents, and usually greater than 90% of ALS patients.

The antibodies of the invention are useful for diagnosis and mayoptionally be used for concentrating low quantities of misfoldedproteins present in patient fluids and tissues by concentrating methodssuch as immunoprecipitation. In one embodiment, an antibody thatrecognizes an epitope selectively presented in non-native forms of SOD1is used to immunoprecipitate SOD1 from peripheral blood. The presence ofimmunoprecipitated SOD1 may optionally be detected by ELISA.

The invention also includes kits for diagnosing amyotrophic lateralsclerosis comprising an antibody of the invention and instructions foruse thereof. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that theantibody may be labeled with a detectable marker.

The invention also includes kits for diagnosing misfolded-SOD1 relateddiseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and/or LewyBody disease comprising an antibody that binds to an epitope specificfor an epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native formsof SOD1 and instructions for use thereof. A person skilled in the artwill appreciate that the antibody may be labeled with a detectablemarker.

The invention additionally includes kits for diagnosing ALS, AD, and/orPD comprising one or more isolated peptides corresponding todisease-specific epitopes. In one embodiment, the kit comprises anisolated peptide corresponding to the disease specific epitopes selectedfrom the group comprising, DSE1, DSE1a, DSE2, DSE3, DSE4, DSE5, DSE6 andDSE7. The isolated peptides may be included in addition to an antibodythat binds said epitope. In one embodiment the isolated peptide is apositive control. In the alternative, the isolated peptide can be usefulper se to screen a sample to detect any DSE antibodies present, forexample, in a patient undergoing either active or passive immunotherapybased on such peptides and antibodies.

Drug Screening

The antibodies of the invention can also be used to identify and screenfor substances useful for the treatment or prevention of amyotrophiclateral sclerosis or the formation of misfolded SOD1, which isassociated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. For example, the methodof identifying substances for treating, inhibiting or preventing ofamyotrophic lateral sclerosis can include:

(a) contacting a sample from a subject treated with a substance with anyone of the antibodies of the invention, wherein binding is indicative ofthe presence of misfolded SOD1 in the sample,

(b) detecting the level of binding in the sample, and

(c) comparing the level of binding in the sample to the level of bindingin a control,

wherein an altered level of binding in the sample compared to thecontrol is indicative of a substance for the treatment or prevention ofamyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the control can be asample from a subject not treated with a substance or treated with asubstance that is known not to treat or prevent amyotrophic lateralsclerosis. Thus, if the “altered level of binding” is a reduced level ofbinding in the sample compared to the control, then this is indicativeof a substance useful for the treatment or prevention of amyotrophiclateral sclerosis. In addition, the control can be a sample from thesame subject, but before treatment with the substance to be tested orsamples from the subject taken at different points of time duringtreatment with the substance to be tested.

Substances for the treatment or prevention of amyotrophic lateralsclerosis can also be identified using cells or cell lines. For example,cells or cell lines can be contacted with a substance and then thepresence of misfolded SOD1 on the cells can be detected using thebinding proteins of the invention and compared to a control.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that a library of moleculescan be screened by monitoring the effect of the candidate compounds onthe inhibition of the conversion of SOD1 to a misfolded ordisease-specific conformation.

The invention also includes the substances identified using the methodsof the invention, which are useful for the treatment of amyotrophiclateral sclerosis or the formation of misfolded and/or aggregated SOD1,which is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In embodiments that apply to all aspects of the invention, the misfoldedSOD1 epitope is an epitope other than DSE 1. In related embodiments, themisfolded SOD1 epitope is other than DSE 4. In related embodiments, themisfolded SOD1 epitope is other than DSE 7. In further relatedembodiments, the misfolded SOD1 epitope is other than DSE 1, DSE 4 andDSE 7.

The following non-limiting examples are illustrative of embodiments ofthe present invention:

EXAMPLES

Immunogens comprising isolated peptides corresponding to diseasespecific epitopes, for example DSE1a, may in the following examplesrefer to analog DSE sequences (e.g. DSE1a analog GGGRLAC*GVIGIGSGcomprising additional Nterminal G sequences) as the DSE number (e.g.DSE1) that is related to the analog.

Example 1 DSE2 Monoclonal Antibody Generation

An isolated peptide corresponding to amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope (DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS) bearing an N-terminalCys residue was conjugated to KLH for immunization of BALB/c mice, andto BSA for ELISA screening. Multiple injections were given to each mouseat 21-day intervals. The adjuvant for first injection was CompleteFreund's Adjuvant (Sigma, Cat# F5881-6×10 mL). Incomplete Freund'sAdjuvant (Sigma, Cat# F5506-6×10 mL) was the adjuvant used for theremaining injections. Blood was collected from the mice 7-10 days afterthe 3rd injection. The cell fusion was done 3-4 days after the finalboost without any adjuvant.

The fusion partner used was Sp 2/0-Ag14 (ATCC# CRL-1581). The fusionbetween fusion partner SP2/0 and spleen cells was done at 1:5 ratio(2.0×10⁷: 1.0×10⁸) in 1 ml pre-warmed PEG (MW1450: Sigma, Cat# P7181).Fusion cells were re-suspended into 50 ml of DMEM with 10% FBS andplated into 5 96-well plates at 100 μl/well. 100 μl/well of 2×HAT DMEMmedia was added to the fusion cells after 24 hours. Media was changed ondays 5 and 7 with fresh 1×HAT media. On day 10-12, 50 μl of supernatantwas collected from each well for first ELISA screening. Positive cloneswere transferred to 24 well plates. Upon confluence, antibodysupernatants were screened by ELISA with the antigen used to immunizethe mice and a non-related antigen (human transferrin). Positive cloneswere transferred to 6-well plates for expansion or hybridoma subcloning.The subcloning was done by limiting dilution at 50-70 cells/96-wellplate.

Example 2 Large Scale Monoclonal Antibody Production

For large scale antibody production, 0.2-0.5 ml of Pristane (Sigma,Cat#T-7640) or IFA was injected to each mouse (BALB/c) by i.p. forpriming. On day 7-14, 500,000 to 5,000,000 hybridoma cells in 0.5 ml1×PBS at log phase were injected to each mouse by i.p. The ascitic fluidwas allowed to accumulate for 1-2 weeks. 2-5 ml of ascites can beharvested from each mouse, with an IgG concentration around 1-9 mg/ml.Protein A was used for the IgG2 and 3 purification, and Protein G forIgG1.

The IgG mAb clone was designated 10E11C11. This antibody displaysproperties consistent with its recognition of a disease-specific epitopefor misfolded SOD1. This mAb binds to denatured SOD1 on immunoblotmembranes, recognizing monomeric denatured SOD1 (unstructured). The mAbdoes not recognize the dimeric SOD1 on immunoblotting. Onimmunoprecipitations mediated by 10E11C11 conjugated magnetic beads,there is no detectable binding of native SOD1 from normal human brain ormouse brain and spinal cord. The mAb does efficiently immunoprecipitateSOD1 deliberately misfolded by low pH, the chaotrope guanidine, or both.Most importantly, 10E11C11 efficiently immunoprecipitates misfolded SOD1in a mouse model of ALS caused by transgenic overexpression of mutantSOD1 (G93A). Notably, mouse endogenous SOD1 present in the same tissueis not immunoprecipitated, suggesting that the misfolded human mutantSOD1 does not “co-recruit” normal mouse SOD in this disease model.

Antibodies were also raised in a like manner to the epitopeNPLSRKHGGPKDEE, bearing an N-terminal Cys residue.

Such antibodies are readily available and can be obtained from NeilCashman at the Brain Research Centre, UBC Hospital, 2211 Wesbrook Mall,Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2B5, Canada (neil.cashman@utoronto.ca).

Example 3 DSE2 Monoclonal Antibody Generation Method 2

Mouse monoclonal antibody generation: 4 female BALB/c mice wereinitially immunized by intraperitoneal injections with 25 μg of KLHcoupled to peptide corresponding to DSE2 (DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS, plus an Nterminal cysteine for coupling to KLH by disulfide bridge formation) permouse in Complete Freund's Adjuvant. Four subsequent boosts wereadministered as above, spaced at 3 week intervals, with IncompleteFreund's Adjuvant. When the serum titre had risen more than 10-fold froma pre-immune serum sample, as determined by ELISA, the 2 highest mouseresponders were each boosted intravenously with 10 μg of KLH coupledpeptide protein antigen, in 100 μl of sterile PBS pH 7.4. Three dayslater the donor mice were sacrificed and the spleen cells were harvestedand pooled. Fusion of the splenocytes with SP2/0 BALB/c parental myelomacells was performed as previously described (see example 1 above) exceptthat one-step selection and cloning of the hybridomas was performed inClone EZ medium. This semi-solid medium allows HAT selection and cloningin a single step and eliminates the overgrowth of slower growingdesirable clones by faster growing, perhaps undesirable, hybridomas.Clones were picked 11 days post fusion and resuspended in wells of96-well tissue culture plates in: 200 μl of D-MEM (Invitogen) mediumcontaining 20% fetal bovine serum. After 4 days, the supernatants werescreened by indirect ELISA for antibody activity on plates coated with 1μg/well of peptide coupled to BSA.

ELISA Conditions:

For screening and testing: DSE-2-BSA antigen was coated onto plate indH₂O at 1 μg/well and dried down overnight at 37° C.

For testing on negative control antigen: 0.5 μg/well HT (humantransferrin) antigen coated onto plate in dH₂O at 50 μL/well and drieddown overnight at 37° C.

Blocking: Plates blocked with 3% skim milk powder in PBS (pH 7.4) at 100μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature.

1° antibody: Mouse anti-DSE-2 hybridoma tissue culture supernatant andmouse monoclonal controls added at 100 μL neat per well for screeningand testing and were incubated for 1 hour at room temperature withshaking.

2° antibody used for screening and testing: 1/10000 Goat anti-mouse IgGFc HRP conjugated used was used diluted in PBS-Tween (pH 7.4), added at100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at 37° C. with shaking.

Substrate: TMB buffer (BioFx cat# TMBW-1000-01) was added at 50 μL perwell and incubated in the dark at room temperature. The reaction wasstopped with 50 μL 1M HCl per well after 15 minutes and read at OD₄₅₀nm.

Table 3 shows the ELISA screening of hybridoma clones for antibodiesdirected against the disease-specific epitope DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2).The antibodies generated by several of the hybridoma clones were highlyspecific for peptides corresponding to the disease specific eptiope, anddid not detectably recognize the control antigen HT (human transferrin).These results show that monoclonal antibodies can be produced againstpeptides corresponding to epitopes identified as selectively presentedor accessible on misfolded forms of SOD1. TABLE 3 ELISA Screening ofHybridoma Clones for Antibodies Directed to DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2)Exp #1 Exp #2 DSE-2-BSA DSE-2-BSA HT Clone Antigen Antigen AntigenIsotype 2A11 2.624 2.000 0.086 IgG 3H1 1.982 1.908 0.081 IgG 5G5 2.7122.014 0.068 IgG 5G12 2.072 1.755 0.064 IgG 6C3 2.527 1.889 0.071 IgG6G12 2.093 1.982 0.069 IgG 7E10 2.586 2.047 0.068 IgG 7F8 2.317 1.9610.079 IgG 8C9 2.087 1.929 0.072 IgG 8D1 2.238 1.931 0.067 IgG 10C123.032 1.909 0.061 IgG 10F2 2.599 1.699 0.059 IgGHybridoma clone 3H1 (Accession number 220207-02) was deposited with theInternational Depository Authority of Canada located in Winnipeg, Canadaon Feb. 22, 2007.

Example 4 DSE1 Polyclonal Antibodies

Antibody Generation and Purification

Peptide synthesis was carried out using standard Fmoc-based chemistry ona Perseptives Biosystems 9050 Plus Pepsynthesizer. The multipleantigenic peptide was synthesized on a[Fmoc-Lys(Fmoc)]₄-Lys₂-Lys-Cys(Acm)-β-Ala-Wang resin (Advanced ChemTech,SM5104, Louisville, Ky.) using Fmoc-protected amino acids (AdvancedChemTech; Novabiochem, San Diego, Calif.; Applied Biosystems, FosterCity, Calif.). The sequence was Acetyl-GGRLACGVIGIGGKG-; composition andsequence were verified by amino acid analysis and peptide synthesizeron-line UV-absorbance analysis. This peptide was cleaved and purified bydialysis versus 10 mM Tris, 10 mM sodium acetate (Sigma); dialysis wascarried out at pH 8.0 to allow disulfide bond formation between adjacentstrands of the peptide dendrimer. The MAP antigen had a molecular weightof ˜11 kDa and was used without conjugation to a carrier protein. Theantigen was sent to Sigma-Genosys (Oakville, Ontario, Canada) for rabbitantiserum production (manufacturer's ‘partial package’). Antiserumproduction followed standard protocol (Sigma-Genosys) and was inaccordance with the Animal Welfare Act (USA).

A linear peptide with identical sequence to the antigen was synthesizedon a [non-cleavable] TentaGel-SH resin (Advanced ChemTech). This resinwas deprotected and packed into disposable columns (EvergreenScientific, Los Angeles, Calif.) for antiserum purification. Anti-serumwas pre-cleared by centrifugation (16,000×g) and diluted 1:10 intris-buffered saline (TBS) prior to purification. Dilute anti-serum wasre-circulated over the affinity purification column 3× at a flow rate of˜1 ml/min at room temperature for binding. The antibody-bound column waswashed with a minimum of 100 ml of TBS (˜1 ml/min), until the washeluent had no protein (A₂₈₀=0). Antibody fractions were eluted with 50mM glycine, pH 2.8 into ⅕ volume ice-cold 1.5M Tris, 150 mM NaCl, pH8.0, mixed and immediately placed on ice. These fractions werecentrifuged 16,000×g and the concentration of the antibody in thesupernatant was determined using an ε₂₈₀=220,000 and an IgG molecularweight of 150,000Da. Purification column was regenerated by excesswashing with 50 mM glycine, pH 2.8, followed by treatment with saturatedguanidine-HCl, 50 mM Tris, pH 8.0. Column was equilibrated with TBSprior to application of anti-serum. Only serum from the third bleed orlater was used. In all cases, antibody was purified immediately prior touse and stored with 2 mg/ml BSA to stabilize the antibody.

SDS-PAGE and Western Blotting

SDS-PAGE was performed using the Tris-Glycine buffer system withpre-cast 4-20% poly-acrylamide gradient gels (Invitrogen, Carlsbad,Calif.). For partially denaturing gels human erythrocyte SOD1 (Sigma)was either boiled for 15 minutes with 4% beta-mercaptoethanol (Aldrich)in SDS-loading buffer or kept on ice for 15 minutes in SDS-loadingbuffer. 1-5 μg of SOD1 was run in each lane with equivalent results ForWestern blotting, gels were transferred onto PVDF membrane, blockedovernight in 5% milk-TBST (tris buffered saline, 0.05% Tween-20). 0.2μg/ml (note: up to at least 5 μg/ml yielded equivalent results) SEDI SODantibody (anti-DSE1 polyclonal) diluted in 5% milk-TBST was used as theprimary antibody, and 1:5000 dilution of anti-rabbit IgG-HRP (Stressgen,Victoria, Canada) was used as the secondary antibody. Western blots weredeveloped using ECL-Plus (Amersham, Buckinghamshire, UK) and visualizedon Kodak film. For peptide competition experiments), diluted SEDI SODantibody was pre-incubated with a 500× (molar) excess of free linearpeptide with the same sequence as the antigen at 4° C. overnight or 1hr. at room temperature prior to use.

Results

Antibody Design and Validation

Investigating protein conformation in vivo is a challenging problem. Onepossible strategy is to design an antibody that will recognize specificmisfolded conformations but not the native protein. Thishypothesis-driven approach has been previously applied to otherneurodegenerative disorders involving protein aggregation, but thesedesigns have relied on low resolution biophysical information on thestructure of the misfolded protein. The inventors' approach employs theuse of detailed X-ray crystal structure data to design an antibodyagainst misfolded SOD1 (6, 71) It was hypothesized that an antibody thatrecognizes an epitope inaccessible in native dimeric SOD1 but exposed inSOD1 aggregates and aggregation intermediates, would be capable ofselectively detecting misfolded SOD1 in vivo. Examination of the X-raystructure of the native SOD1 dimer (pdb code: 1SPD) (72) shows thatresidues 145-151 (ACGVIGI) are sequestered in the SOD1 dimer interfaceand are inaccessible in native SOD1. An antibody raised against thisepitope is hypothesized to recognize misfolded forms of SOD1 where thenative dimer interface is disrupted and exposed, such as in monomers andnon-native oligomers. Accordingly, the inventors have named this theSOD1-dimer interface antibody (SEDI antibody, also referred to asanti-DSE1 polyclonal antibody). The inventors synthesized a multipleantigenic peptide where each branch of the dendrimer had the sequenceggRLACGVIGIggkg; the capitalized sequence is part of the SOD1 sequence(residues 143-151). SOD1 residues 143 and 144 were added to theantigenic peptide to increase its solubility; the N-terminal andC-terminal Gly/Lys linkers were added to contextualize the epitope to aninternal sequence, increase solubility, and increase molecular weightfor enhanced immunogenicity. Rabbit anti-serum produced fromimmunization with this antigen was affinity purified using animmobilized linear peptide with identical sequence to the antigen.Western blots were performed to examine whether the antibody coulddiscriminate between dimeric SOD1 and monomeric SOD1 with the selectedepitope exposed. Native SOD1 is sufficiently stable that undernon-reducing conditions SOD1 runs primarily as a dimer in SDS-PAGE Whenreduced under denaturing conditions, it runs predominantly as themonomer, but with some dimer still detectable. In these gels, the SEDIantibody reacts only with monomeric SOD1 and not with native dimericSOD1 This antibody will thus react with SOD1 conformers where theselected epitope is exposed, but not with native SOD1. This contrastswith commercially available SOD1 antibodies that detect both native andmisfolded SOD1 indiscriminately. Competition with the antigenic peptideconfirmed the specificity of the antibody. The SEDI antibody thussatisfies the design criteria and provides a selectively presented oraccessible inol for testing the in vivo hypotheses.

Example 5 DSE1 Monoclonal Antibody Generation

Mouse monoclonal antibody generation: 4 female BALB/c mice wereinitially immunized by intraperitoneal injections with 25 μg of proteinantigen per mouse in Complete Freund's Adjuvant. Four subsequent boostswere administered as above, spaced at 3 week intervals, with IncompleteFreund's Adjuvant. When the serum titre has risen more than 10-fold froma pre-immune serum sample, as determined by ELISA, the 2 highestresponders are each boosted intravenously with 10 μg of protein antigen,in 100 μl of sterile PBS pH 7.4. Three days later the donor mice aresacrificed and the spleen cells are harvested and pooled. Fusion of thesplenocytes with SP2/0 BALB/c parental myeloma cells is performed aspreviously described in example 1 above, except that one-step selectionand cloning of the hybridomas is performed in Clone EZ medium. Thissemi-solid medium allows HAT selection and cloning in a single step andeliminates the overgrowth of slower growing desirable clones by fastergrowing, perhaps undesirable, hybridomas. Clones are picked 11 days postfusion and are resuspended in wells of 96-well tissue culture plates in:200 μl of D-MEM (Invitogen) medium containing 20% fetal bovine serum.After 4 days, the supernatants are screened by indirect ELISA forantibody activity on plates coated with 1 μg/well of protein antigen.

ELISA Conditions:

For screening and testing: DSE-1-BSA antigen is coated onto plate indH₂O at 1 μg/well and dried down overnight at 37° C.

For testing on negative control antigen: 0.5 μg/well HT (humantransferrin) antigen is coated onto plate in dH₂O at 50 μL/well anddried down overnight at 37° C.

Blocking: Plates are blocked with 3% skim milk powder in PBS (pH 7.4) at100 μL/well and are incubated for 1 hour at room temperature.

1° antibody: Mouse anti-DSE-1 hybridoma tissue culture supernatant andmouse monoclonal controls are added at 100 μL neat per well forscreening and testing. Mouse anti-DSE-1a immune serum and mousepre-immune serum diluted 1/800 in SP2/0 tissue culture supernatant areadded at 100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature withshaking.

2° antibody used for screening and testing: 1/10000 Goat anti-mouse IgGFc HRP conjugated is used. Secondary antibody is diluted in PBS-Tween(pH 7.4), added at 100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at 37° C. withshaking.

Substrate: TMB buffer (BioFx cat# TMBW-1000-01) is added at 50 μL perwell and incubated in the dark at room temperature. Reaction is stoppedwith 50 μL 1M HCl per well after 15 minutes and read at OD₄₅₀ nm.

Example 6 DSE1a Antibody Production

The isolated peptide corresponding to the DSE1a epitope(GGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG) was conjugated to KLH for immunization of BALB/cmice, and to BSA for ELISA screening.

Mouse monoclonal antibody generation: 4 female BALB/c mice wereinitially immunized by intraperitoneal injections with 25 μg of proteinantigen per mouse in Complete Freund's Adjuvant. Four subsequent boostswere administered as above, spaced at 3 week intervals, with IncompleteFreund's Adjuvant. When the serum titre had risen more than 10-fold froma pre-immune serum sample, as determined by ELISA, the 2 highestresponders were each boosted intravenously with 10 μg of proteinantigen, in 100 μl of sterile PBS pH 7.4. Three days later the donormice were sacrificed and the spleen cells were harvested and pooled.Fusion of the splenocytes with SP2/0 BALB/c parental myeloma cells wasperformed as previously described in example 1 above except thatone-step selection and cloning of the hybridomas was performed in CloneEZ medium. This semi-solid medium allows HAT selection and cloning in asingle step and eliminates the overgrowth of slower growing desirableclones by faster growing, perhaps undesirable, hybridomas. Clones werepicked 11 days post fusion and resuspended in wells of 96-well tissueculture plates in: 200 μl of D-MEM (Invitrogen) medium containing 20%fetal bovine serum. After 4 days, the supernatants were screened byindirect ELISA for antibody activity on plates coated with 1 μg/well ofprotein antigen.

ELISA Conditions:

For screening and testing: DSE-1a-BSA antigen was coated onto plate indH₂O at 1 μg/well and dried down overnight at 37° C.

For testing on negative control antigen: 0.5 μg/well HT (humantransferrin) antigen was coated onto plate in dH₂O at 50 μL/well anddried down overnight at 37° C.

Blocking: Plates were blocked with 3% skim milk powder in PBS (pH 7.4)at 100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature.

1° antibody: Mouse anti-DSE-1a hybridoma tissue culture supernatant andmouse monoclonal controls were added at 100 μL neat per well forscreening and testing. Mouse anti-DSE-1a immune serum and mousepre-immune serum diluted 1/800 in SP2/0 tissue culture supernatant wereadded at 100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature withshaking.

2° antibody used for screening and testing: 1/10000 Goat anti-mouse IgGFc HRP conjugated was used. Secondary antibody was diluted in PBS-Tween(pH 7.4), added at 100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at 37° C. withshaking.

Substrate: TMB buffer (BioFx cat# TMBW-1000-01) added at 50 μL per welland incubated in the dark at room temperature. The reaction stopped with50 μL 1M HCl per well after 15 minutes and read at OD₄₅₀ nm.

Table 4 shows the ELISA screening of hybridoma clones for antibodiesdirected against the peptide corresponding to the disease-specificepitope GGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG (DSE1a). The antibodies generated by thehybridoma clones were highly specific for the disease specific eptiope,and did not detectably recognize the control antigen HT (humantransferrin). These results show that monoclonal antibodies can beproduced against peptides corresponding to epitopes identified aspresented or accessible on misfolded forms of SOD1. TABLE 4 ELISAScreening of Hybridoma Clones for Antibodies directed against epitopeGGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG (DSE1a) Exp #1 DSE- Exp #2 1a-BSA DSE-1a-BSA HT CloneAntigen Antigen Antigen Isotype 3C1 0.484 0.265 0.105 IgG 3C11 0.7020.186 0.093 IgG 3D2 1.542 1.035 0.058 IgG 3F1 3.072 2.143 0.080 IgG 4B50.506 0.238 0.065 IgG 4H6 1.244 0.957 0.085 IgG 5F6 0.862 0.663 0.089IgG 6D8 2.690 2.186 0.089 IgG 9A4 2.538 2.313 0.071 IgG 9A8 1.489 0.8840.100 IgG 10C3 2.446 2.200 0.067 IgG 10C12 2.867 2.016 0.089 IgGHybridoma clone 6D8 (Accession number 220207-01) was deposited with theInternational Depository Authority of Canada located in Winnipeg, Canadaon Feb. 22, 2007.Antibodies are generated against DSE 4, 6 and 7 using similartechniques.

Example 7 Antibodies Directed Against DSE1a do not Recognize the DSE1Peptide

The ability of anti-DSE1a antibody to recognize its cognate peptidesequence (DSE1a) was compared to anti-DSE1a antibody's ability torecognize the non-oxidized peptide (DSE1).

Microtiter plate wells were coated with DSE1 peptide or with DSE1apeptide coupled to BSA. After free binding sites in each was wereblocked with BSA, antibody containing tissue culture supernatants fromthe DSE1a hybridoma clones was added, and antibody allowed to bind tothe BSA coupled peptides. Bound antibody was then detected with aperoxidase coupled secondary antibody. FIG. 1 and Table 5 show that alltested antibodies recognize preferentially DSE1a over DSE1.

When mice were immunized with DSE1 peptide, mostly IgM isotype antibodywere formed. An IgM antibody likely has a lower affinity for the epitopethan the DSE1a antibodies raised as noted above, which are of the IgGisotype. The modification of DSE1 to comprise an oxidized cysteineresulted in the production of antibodies with operationally greateravidity. TABLE 5 ELISA Showing Anti-DSE1a Antibody Clones PreferentiallyRecognize Oxidized DSE1a Peptide Peptide Peptide Clone DSE1a DSE1 3C11.141 0.243 1.405 0.234 Average 1.273 0.2385 Rel Dev 14.66% 2.67% 3C111.165 0.197 0.732 0.216 Average 0.9485 0.2065 Rel Dev 32.28% 6.51% 3D21.073 0.219 0.93 0.209 Average 1.0015 0.214 Rel Dev 10.10% 3.30% 3D90.195 0.223 0.164 0.195 Average 0.1795 0.209 Rel Dev 12.21% 9.47% 3F12.948 0.247 3.005 0.269 Average 2.9765 0.258 Rel Dev 1.35% 6.03% 4B50.671 0.185 0.481 0.169 Average 0.576 0.177 Rel Dev 23.32% 6.39% 4H60.674 0.233 0.685 0.29 Average 0.6795 0.2615 Rel Dev 1.14% 15.41% 6D82.303 0.366 2.168 0.242 Average 2.2355 0.304 Rel Dev 4.27% 28.84% 9A41.006 0.203 0.687 0.343 Average 0.8465 0.273 Rel Dev 26.65% 36.26% 9A82.101 0.21 2.194 0.276 Average 2.1475 0.243 Rel Dev 3.06% 19.21% 10C32.227 0.233 2.087 0.22 Average 2.157 0.2265 Rel Dev 4.59% 4.06% PBST0.199 0.192 0.194 0.166 Average 0.1965 0.179 Rel Dev 1.80% 10.27%

Example 8 DSE5 Antibody Production

Mouse monoclonal antibody generation: 4 female BALB/c mice wereinitially immunized by intraperitoneal injections with 25 μg ofimmunogen comprising peptide (IKGLTEGLHGF) corresponding to DSE5 coupledto KLH by disulfide formation with a cysteine that was added to the Nper mouse in Complete Freund's Adjuvant. Four subsequent boosts wereadministered as above, spaced at 3 week intervals, with IncompleteFreund's Adjuvant. When the serum titre had risen more than 10-fold froma pre-immune serum sample, as determined by ELISA, the 2 highestresponders were each boosted intravenously with 10 μg of proteinantigen, in 100 μl of sterile PBS pH 7.4. Three days later the donormice were sacrificed and the spleen cells were harvested and pooled.Fusion of the splenocytes with SP2/0 BALB/c parental myeloma cells wasperformed as previously described as in example one above except thatone-step selection and cloning of the hybridomas was performed in CloneEZ medium. This semi-solid medium allows HAT selection and cloning in asingle step and eliminates the overgrowth of slower growing desirableclones by faster growing, perhaps undesirable, hybridomas. Clones werepicked 11 days post fusion and resuspended in wells of 96-well tissueculture plates in: 200 μl of D-MEM (Invitrogen) medium containing 20%fetal bovine serum. After 4 days, the supernatants were screened byindirect ELISA for antibody activity on plates coated with 1 μg/well ofprotein antigen.

ELISA Conditions:

For screening and testing: DSE5-BSA antigen was coated onto plate indH₂O at 1 μg/well and dried down overnight at 37° C.

For testing on negative control antigen: 0.5 μg/well HT (humantransferrin) antigen coated onto plate in dH₂O at 50 μL/well and drieddown overnight at 37° C.

Blocking: Plates were blocked with 3% skim milk powder in PBS (pH 7.4)at 100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature.

1° antibody: Mouse anti-DSE5 hybridoma tissue culture supernatant andmouse monoclonal controls were added at 100 μL neat per well forscreening and testing. Mouse anti-DSE-1a immune serum and mousepre-immune serum diluted 1/800 in SP2/0 tissue culture supernatant wereadded at 100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature withshaking.

2° antibody used for screening and testing: 1/10000 Goat anti-mouse IgGFc HRP conjugated was used. Secondary antibody was diluted in PBS-Tween(pH 7.4), added at 100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at 37° C. withshaking.

Substrate: TMB buffer (BioFx cat# TMBW-1000-01) was added at 50 μL perwell and incubated in the dark at room temperature. The reaction stoppedwith 50 μL 1M HCl per well after 15 minutes and read at OD₄₅₀ nm.

Table 6 shows the ELISA screening of hybridoma clones for antibodiesdirected against the disease-specific epitope (IKGLTEGLHGF). Theantibodies generated by several of the hybridoma clones were highlyspecific for the peptide corresponding to the eptiope, and did notdetectably recognize the control antigen HT (human transferrin). Theseresults show that monoclonal antibodies can be produced against peptidescorresponding to epitopes identified as selectively presented oraccessible on misfolded forms of SOD1. TABLE 6 ELISA screening ofhybridoma clones for antibodies directed against epitope IKGLTEGLHGF(DSE5) Exp #1 Exp #2 DSE-5-BSA DSE-5-BSA HT Clone Antigen AntigenAntigen Isotype 5C6 2.779 1.787 0.079 IgGHybridoma clone 5C6 (accession number 280207-01) was deposited with theInternational Depository Authority of Canada located in Winnipeg, Canadaon Feb. 28, 2007.

Example 9 Antibody Production to Disease Specific Epitopes (DSEs) and/orDSE Antigenic Determinants

An epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1 is conjugated to KLH for immunization of BALB/c mice to generate Bcells reactive to the epitope. The epitope for immunization is selectedfrom the group of peptides consisting of: GGGRLACGVIGIGSG (DSE1);GGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG (DSE1a); CDLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2); CNPLSRKHGGPKDEE(DSE3); CIKGLTEGLHGF (DSE5); GSGKAVCVLK (DSE4); and CGLHGFHVH (DSE7).Alternatively a portion of any of the forementioned peptides comprisingone or more antigenic determinants is conjugated to KLH, minimallycomprising 3 or 5 contiguous amino acids of any of the peptide sequencethat is immunogenic either alone or when coupled to KLH.

Mouse monoclonal antibody generation: 4 female BALB/c mice are initiallyimmunized by intraperitoneal injections with 25 μg of protein antigenper mouse in Complete Freund's Adjuvant. Four subsequent boosts areadministered as above, spaced at 3 week intervals, with IncompleteFreund's Adjuvant. When the serum titre has risen more than 10-fold froma pre-immune serum sample, as determined by ELISA, the 2 highestresponders are each boosted intravenously with 10 μg of protein antigen,in 100 μl of sterile PBS pH 7.4. Three days later the donor mice aresacrificed and the spleen cells are harvested and pooled. Fusion of thesplenocytes with SP2/0 BALB/c parental myeloma cells is performed aspreviously described as in example 1 above that one-step selection andcloning of the hybridomas is performed in Clone EZ medium. Thissemi-solid medium allows HAT selection and cloning in a single step andeliminates the overgrowth of slower growing desirable clones by fastergrowing, perhaps undesirable, hybridomas. Clones are picked 11 days postfusion and are resuspended in wells of 96-well tissue culture plates in:200 μl of D-MEM (Invitogen) medium containing 20% fetal bovine serum.After 4 days, the supernatants are screened by indirect ELISA forantibody activity on plates coated with 1 μg/well of protein antigen.

ELISA Conditions:

For screening and testing: DSE-BSA antigen is coated onto plate in dH₂Oat 1 μg/well and dried down overnight at 37° C.

For testing on negative control antigen: 0.5 μg/well HT (humantransferrin) antigen is coated onto plate in dH₂O at 50 μL/well anddried down overnight at 37° C.

Blocking: Plates are blocked with 3% skim milk powder in PBS (pH 7.4) at100 μL/well and are incubated for 1 hour at room temperature.

1° antibody: Mouse anti-DSE hybridoma tissue culture supernatant andmouse monoclonal controls are added at 100 μL neat per well forscreening and testing. Mouse anti-DSE-1a immune serum and mousepre-immune serum diluted 1/800 in SP2/0 tissue culture supernatant areadded at 100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature withshaking.

2° antibody used for screening and testing: 1/10000 Goat anti-mouse IgGFc HRP conjugated is used. Secondary antibody is diluted in PBS-Tween(pH 7.4), added at 100 μL/well and incubated for 1 hour at 37° C. withshaking.

Substrate: TMB buffer (BioFx cat# TMBW-1000-01) is added at 50 μL perwell and incubated in the dark at room temperature. The reaction isstopped with 50 μL 1M HCl per well after 15 minutes and read at OD₄₅₀nm.

Example 10 ELISA Testing of Antibody Directed to DSE1a for Affinity toDenatured SOD1

Hybridoma clones producing antibodies directed to DSE1a(GGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG) were screened by ELISA for specific reactivity tonatively folded SOD1 (SOD1 in PBS) denatured or misfolded SOD1 (SOD1 indenaturation buffer with 6M GdnHCl), or natively folded and misfoldedBSA control.

Table 7 shows the affinity of hybridoma clones to natively folded andmisfolded SOD1. The absorbance of each sample was detected at 450 nm(columns 2-5). Each sample was tested in duplicate. The values incolumns 6-9 provide the average values of the affinity of each clone andthe % difference between the two samples. Column 10 represents thespecific affinity of the antibody for the natively folded SOD1 (i.e. theaffinity of the antibody for SOD1 minus the non-specific binding to theirrelevant protein BSA). Column 11 represents the specific affinity ofthe antibody for the unfolded SOD1 (i.e. the affinity of the antibodyfor SOD1 minus the non-specific binding for BSA). Column 12 provides thefold increase of the specific affinity for misfolded SOD1 over nativelyfolded SOD1. These results demonstrate the specific affinity ofmonoclonal antibodies directed against DSE1a epitope for SOD1 and thatthe antibodies preferentially target misfolded forms of SOD1 with 2-4fold higher affinity than for the natively folded form.

Clones 4H6, 6D8, 10C3 were selected for large scale production. TABLE 7ELISA testing of DSE1a hybridoma clones to denatured SOD1. 2 4 6 8 10 111 SOD1 3 BSA 5 SOD1 7 BSA 9 S-N S-N 12 Clone PBS GdnHCl PBS GdnHCl PBSGdnHCl PBS GdnHCl (F) (U) U/F 3C1 0.423 0.712 0.144 0.170 0.417 0.6620.145 0.178 0.256 0.501 1.961 0.410 0.612 0.145 0.185 2% 11%  0% 6% 3C110.352 0.693 0.153 0.155 0.355 0.668 0.154 0.150 0.203 0.516 2.544 0.3570.642 0.155 0.144 1% 5% 1% 5% 3D2 0.364 0.727 0.134 0.130 0.357 0.6900.127 0.125 0.231 0.564 2.442 0.349 0.652 0.119 0.119 3% 8% 8% 6% 3D90.304 0.661 0.121 0.124 0.314 0.674 0.137 0.115 0.188 0.548 2.920 0.3230.687 0.152 0.106 4% 3% 16%  11%  3F1 0.354 0.585 0.140 0.146 0.3270.577 0.133 0.131 0.195 0.445 2.284 0.299 0.568 0.125 0.116 12%  2% 8%16%  4B5 0.352 0.643 0.145 0.140 0.338 0.637 0.137 0.137 0.201 0.5002.491 0.323 0.630 0.129 0.134 6% 1% 8% 3% 4H6 0.334 0.615 0.156 0.1220.332 0.626 0.135 0.122 0.203 0.498 2.451 0.329 0.637 0.114 0.122 1% 2%22%  0% 6D8 0.380 0.788 0.148 0.139 0.385 0.732 0.145 0.134 0.246 0.5932.413 0.390 0.676 0.142 0.129 2% 11%  3% 5% 9A4 0.305 0.634 0.144 0.1270.302 0.604 0.133 0.125 0.173 0.475 2.740 0.299 0.573 0.122 0.122 1% 7%12%  3% 9A8 0.253 0.601 0.150 0.115 0.259 0.593 0.139 0.119 0.130 0.4643.578 0.264 0.585 0.127 0.123 3% 2% 12%  5% 10C3 0.284 0.609 0.153 0.1170.282 0.628 0.229 0.112 0.112 0.458 4.085 0.280 0.646 0.304 0.106 1% 4%47%  7% 10C12 0.326 0.562 0.121 0.115 0.313 0.551 0.121 0.122 0.1910.429 2.244 0.299 0.539 0.121 0.128 6% 3% 0% 8% Bkg 0.112 0.142 0.1170.151 0.122 0.143 0.118 0.147 0.132 0.144 0.118 0.143 12%  1% 1% 4%S = signal,N = noise,F = natively folded,U = unfolded/misfolded

Example 11 ELISA Testing of Antibody Directed to DSE2 for Affinity toDenatured SOD1

Hybridoma clones producing antibodies directed to DSE2(DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS) were screened by ELISA for specific reactivity tonatively folded SOD1 (SOD1 in PBS) denatured or misfolded SOD1 (SOD1 indenaturation buffer with 6M GdnHCl), or natively folded and misfoldedBSA control.

Table 8 shows the affinity of hybridoma clones to natively folded andunfolded SOD1. The absorbance of each sample was detected at 450 nm(columns 2-5). Each sample was tested in duplicate. The values incolumns 6-9 provide the average values of the affinity of each clone andthe % difference between the two samples. Column 10 represents thespecific affinity of the antibody for the natively folded SOD1 (i.e. theaffinity of the antibody for SOD1 minus the non-specific binding toBSA). Column 11 represents the specific affinity of the antibody for themisfolded SOD1 (i.e. the affinity of the antibody for SOD1 minus thenon-specific binding to BSA). Column 12 provides the fold increase ofthe specific affinity for misfolded SOD1 over natively folded SOD1.These results demonstrate the specific affinity of monoclonal antibodiesdirected against DSE2 epitope for SOD1 and that the antibodiespreferentially target unfolded forms of SOD1.

Clones 3H1, 5G5 and 8D1 were selected for large scale production. TABLE8 ELISA testing of DSE2 hybridoma clones to denatured SOD1. 2 4 6 8 1011 SOD1 3 BSA 5 SOD1 7 BSA 9 S-N S-N 12 1 PBS GdnHCl PBS GdnHCl PBSGdnHCl PBS GdnHCl (F) (U) U/F 2A9 0.321 0.593 0.125 0.137 0.316 0.5890.116 0.141 0.187 0.460 2.460 0.31 0.584 0.107 0.145 2% 1% 11%  4% 2A110.345 0.71 0.119 0.124 0.347 0.719 0.114 0.140 0.220 0.592 2.693 0.3480.727 0.108 0.156 1% 2% 7% 16%  3H1 0.257 2.189 0.161 0.165 0.410 2.1450.156 0.164 0.251 1.986 7.926 0.563 2.101 0.15 0.162 53%  3% 5% 1% 5G50.308 1.032 0.22 0.145 0.307 0.879 0.171 0.149 0.147 0.719 4.881 0.3060.725 0.122 0.152 0% 25%  41%  3% 5G12 0.346 0.604 0.124 0.131 0.3090.583 0.135 0.122 0.181 0.455 2.516 0.272 0.562 0.145 0.113 17% 5% 11% 10%  6C3 0.325 0.67 0.129 0.126 0.317 0.673 0.126 0.136 0.187 0.5432.909 0.309 0.676 0.122 0.145 4% 1% 4% 10%  6G12 0.29 0.414 0.125 0.1140.293 0.558 0.112 0.111 0.181 0.446 2.462 0.295 0.701 0.099 0.107 1%36%  16%  4% 7E10 0.34 0.787 0.199 0.179 0.331 0.761 0.171 0.158 0.1660.597 3.589 0.321 0.735 0.142 0.137 4% 5% 24%  19%  7F8 0.366 0.6050.131 0.121 0.327 0.612 0.135 0.121 0.199 0.484 2.430 0.288 0.619 0.1380.121 17%  2% 4% 0% 8C9 0.354 0.701 0.131 0.132 0.347 0.713 0.122 0.1350.218 0.584 2.679 0.339 0.724 0.113 0.138 3% 2% 10%  3% 8D1 0.516 1.6260.185 0.167 0.465 1.768 0.173 0.180 0.288 1.591 5.520 0.413 1.909 0.1610.192 16%  11%  10%  10%  10F2 0.263 0.632 0.119 0.172 0.413 0.661 0.1180.174 0.268 0.515 1.925 0.563 0.689 0.116 0.175 51%  6% 2% 1% Bkg 0.1120.142 0.117 0.151 0.122 0.143 0.118 0.147 0.132 0.144 0.118 0.143 12% 1% 1% 4%S = signal,N = noise,F = natively folded,U = unfolded/misfolded

Example 12 ELISA Testing of Antibody Directed to DSE5 for Affinity toDenatured SOD1

Hybridoma clones producing antibodies directed to DSE5 (IKGLTEGLHGF)were screened by ELISA for specific reactivity to natively folded SOD1(SOD1 in PBS) denatured or misfolded SOD1 (SOD1 in denaturation bufferGdnHCl), or natively folded and misfolded BSA control.

Table 9 shows the affinity of hybridoma clones to natively folded andmisfolded SOD1. The absorbance of each sample was detected at 450 nm(columns 2-5). Each sample was tested in duplicate. The values incolumns 6-9 provide the average values of the affinity of each clone andthe % difference between the two samples. Column 10 represents thespecific affinity of the antibody for the natively folded SOD1 (i.e. theaffinity of the antibody for SOD1 minus the non-specific affinity forBSA). Column 11 represents the specific affinity of the antibody for themisfolded SOD1 (i.e. the affinity of the antibody for SOD1 minus thenon-specific affinity for BSA). And column 12 provides the fold increaseof the specific affinity for unfolded SOD1 over natively folded SOD1.These results demonstrate the specific affinity of monoclonal antibodiesdirected against DSE5 epitope for SOD1 and that the antibodiespreferentially target misfolded forms of SOD1. TABLE 9 ELISA testing ofhybridoma clone to denatured SOD1. 2 4 6 8 10 11 SOD1 3 BSA 5 SOD1 7 BSA9 S-N S-N 12 1 PBS GdnHCl PBS GdnHCl PBS GdnHCl PBS GdnHCl (F) (U) U/FDSE5 0.272 0.622 0.122 0.188 0.279 0.626 0.113 0.163 0.141 0.488 3.4570.286 0.629 0.104 0.138 4% 1% 11%  22%  Bkg 0.112 0.142 0.117 0.1510.122 0.143 0.118 0.147 0.132 0.144 0.118 0.143 12% 1% 1% 4%S = signal,N = noise,F = natively folded,U = unfolded/misfolded

Example 13 Recognition of Oxidized SOD1 by Antibodies Directed AgainstDSE2

Oxidative damage of enzymes occurs in neurodegenerative diseases, andoxidative damage to SOD1 results in misfolding and formation ofaggregated SOD1. The inventors showed that antibodies directed againstthe DSE2 epitope (hybridoma clones 10E11C11 and 3H1) recognize suchoxidatively modified SOD1 by incubating purified SOD1 with either 100 umto 10 mM H₂O₂ or with a mixture of ascorbate and copperchloride. Both ofthese treatments are known to oxidize amino acids in SOD1. Subsequently,we allowed this oxidized SOD1 to bind to microtiter plate wells andadded one of two different anti-DSE2 antibodies. For comparison,microtiter wells were coated with untreated and normally folded SOD1 inbuffer, or with SOD1 that was denatured with a solution of a chaotropicagent (guanidinium chloride, GdnHCl). As shown in FIG. 2, anti-DSE2antibodies bind preferentially to misfolded SOD1 in GdnHCl but much lesswell to natively folded SOD1 in buffer. However, after oxidation, SOD1is efficiently recognized by the anti-DSE2 antibodies. This demonstratesthat anti-DSE2 (both 10E11C11 and 3H1) antibodies recognize the kind ofoxidatively modified SOD1 that occurs in patients with neurodegenerativediseases. The results are presented in Table 10 below. TABLE 10Recognition of oxidized SOD1 by antibodies directed against DSE2 ClonesClones Treatment PBST 10E11C11 3H1 Treatment PBST 10E11C11 3H1 SOD-PBS0.088 0.357 0.34 SOD-Gnd 0.118 1.243 2.29 0.094 0.362 0.335 0.092 1.2542.295 0.082 0.389 0.086 1.225 Average 0.088 0.369333333 0.3375 Average0.098666667 1.240666667 2.2925 Rel St Dev 6.82% 4.66% 1.05% Rel St Dev17.24% 1.18% 0.15% 6 hr CuCl 0.082 1.044 1.379 3 hr CuCl 0.087 1.0611.717 0.093 0.987 1.489 0.101 1.06 1.621 0.089 1.042 0.088 1.076 Average0.088 1.024333333 1.434 Average 0.092 1.065666667 1.669 Rel St Dev 6.33%3.16% 5.42% Rel St Dev 8.49% 0.84% 4.07% 1 hr CuCl 0.075 1.023 1.592 0hr CuCl 0.073 0.67 0.527 0.083 1.035 1.435 0.087 0.669 0.59 0.072 1.0260.071 0.664 Average 0.076666667 1.028 1.5135 Average 0.077 0.6676666670.5585 Rel St Dev 7.42% 0.61% 7.34% Rel St Dev 11.32% 0.48% 7.98%BSA-PBS 0.073 0.12 0.078 100 uM H202 0.071 0.489 0.436 0.083 0.098 0.0760.086 0.476 0.425 0.073 0.091 0.107 0.453 Average 0.076333333 0.1030.077 Average 0.088 0.472666667 0.4305 1 mM h202 0.074 0.776 0.744 10 mMH202 0.078 0.836 0.763 0.081 0.752 0.717 0.092 0.84 0.726 0.074 0.7810.083 0.878 Average 0.076333333 0.769666667 0.7305 Average 0.0843333330.851333333 0.7445 Rel St Dev 5.29% 2.01% 2.61% Rel St Dev 8.41% 2.72%3.51%

Example 14 ALS-Specific Epitope Prediction, Synthesis, and Refinement

Epitopes presented by misfolded SOD1 and not presented by native SOD1may be determined by analyzing the structure of native SOD1 for sequenceregions that are hidden by the normally folded native conformation ofSOD1. For example, the DSE2 and DSE3 loops are inaccessible to antibodybinding in the native structure of SOD1, but were shown to be extrudedfrom the SOD1 active site in amyloid fibril and nanotube structures(84). Thus, exposure of these loops may be a marker of SOD1 misfolding,but they may also constitute “recruitment domains” of SOD1 that areinvolved in template directed misfolding of SOD1. The inventorsidentified DSE1, DSE4 and DSE 7 as putatively hidden sequences thatcould become accessible upon SOD1 misfolding.

Epitopes presented by misfolded SOD1 and not presented by native SOD1may be predicted by analyzing sequence regions that have constrainedstructure. Constrained structures are less able to accommodate anychanges in folding resulting in conformational changes in the sequenceregion and the presentation of accessible epitopes not present in thecontrained structure. Epitopes DSE2, 3, 5, and 6 were predicted on thisbasis.

Peptide targets for misfolded aggregated SOD1 provide immunogens for thedevelopment of mouse monoclonal antibodies for biochemicalcharacterization of epitope exposure were synthesized and characterized.These targets include the sequence: RLACGVIGI (DSE1); DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS(DSE2); NPLSRKHGGPKDEE (DSE3); IKGLTEGLHGF (DSE5); HCIIGRTLVVH (DSE6);GSGKAVCVLK (DSE4); and CGLHGFHVH (DSE7).

DSE peptides were synthesized and conjugated to KLH (keyhole limpethemocyanin). DSE peptides having an endogenous cysteine (DSE1, DSE1a,DSE4 and DSE6) were conjugated with KLH using the DMS method (Piercereagent and method) for amino conjugation. DSE peptides not having anendogenous cysteine residue (DSE2, DSE3, DSE5 and DSE7) were conjugatedwith KLH using the sulfo-MBS method (Pierce reagent and method) forthiol group conjugation.

A “control” epitope exposed on the molecular surface of native normalSOD1 is optionally synthesized and characterized. A control epitope isoptionally an epitope that is presented on both natively folded andmisfolded SOD1.

The epitopes identified may have multiple antigenic determinants.Epitopes are further analysed to determine subportions of the peptides(e.g. discrete epitopes) that are immunogenic. Immunogenicity analysisof SOD1 including antigenicity plotting is used to identify discreteepitopes, isolated peptides corresponding to these discrete epitopes aresynthesized and an immunogen comprising the isolated peptidcorresponding to one or more of these discrete epitopes is used togenerate antibodies. Antibodies are generated and tested as described inother Examples.

An example of an antigenicity plot is provided in FIG. 3. The SOD1 aminoacid sequence was subjected to the publicly available Hopps and Woodscomputerized method for predicting the locations of protein antigenicdeterminants (FIG. 3A). In addition, the SOD1 sequence was subjected tothe Kolaskar and Tongaonkar method (85) of antigenic determinationprediction (FIG. 3B). This latter method identified amino acids 4-11(AVCVLKGD), amino acids 27-33 (GPVKVWG), amino acids 42-48 (LHGFHVH),amino acids 93-121 GVADVSIEDSVISLSGDHCIIGRTLWHE and amino acids 142-149(SRLACGVI) of SOD1 (SEQ ID NO: 15) as antigenic.

Additional modifications to the isolated peptide sequences correspondingto the epitopes of the invention or to the identified discrete epitopesare made to enhance immunogenicity. For example, a cysteine residuewithin the isolated peptide may be oxidized to cysteic acid. An exampleis DSE1a where the cysteine present in DSE1 is replaced with oxidizedcysteine in the form cysteic acid and used to raise antibodies.

Example 15 Analog Epitopes

Analog epitope peptides are synthesized incorporating one or moreoxidized or nitrated amino acids according to the list below. Thecysteine (C) residue in DSE1 is oxidized to cysteine sulfinic acid orcysteic acid (i.e. DSE1a). The lysine (K) residue in DSE2 is oxidized toa carbonyl group. One or more of the arginine (R), lysine (K) andhistidine (H) residues in DSE3 are oxidized to form a carbonyl group. InDSE4 lysine (K) is oxidized to a carbonyl group and/or cysteine (C) isoxidized to cysteine sulfinic acid or cysteic acid. In DSE5 one or moreof K and H, are oxidized to a carbonyl group and/of phenylalanine isnitrated to nitrotryptophan. In DSE6, one or more of H or R is oxidizedto a carbonyl group and/or C is oxidized to cysteine sulfinic acid orcysteic acid. In DSE7, H is oxidized to a carbonyl group and/or F isnitrated to nitrotryptophan. DSE1: 145-151, RLACGVIGI: C DSE2: 125-142,DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS: K DSE3: 65-78, NPLSRKHGGPKDEE: R, K, H DSE4: 3-9,KAVCVLK: K, C DSE5: 35-45, IKGLTEGLHGF: K, H, F DSE6: 110-120,HCIIGRTLVVH: H, C, R DSE7: 41-48, GLHGFHVH: H, FC: cysteine, is oxidized to cysteine sulfinic acid, and then furtheroxidized to cysteic acid.H, R, K: carbonyl formationM: oxidation, methionesulfoxideF: nitration, nitrotryptophan

Synthesized peptide analogs are used as immunogens to raise antibodies,such as monoclonal antibodies and for treating individuals having amisfolded SOD-1 mediated disease such as ALS, AD and/or PD. Antibodiesare screened against the immunizing peptide analog for specificity.Positive clones are further tested for their ability to recognizemisfolded SOD1. Antibodies that specifically recognize SOD1 arehumanized and used to treat individuals having a misfolded SOD-1mediated disease such as ALS, AD and/or PD.

Example 16 Immunoprecipitation of Brain Tissue

Brain tissue from patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease or ALS, and matched-controls are obtained. Thesamples are immediately frozen on dry ice and weighed. Frozen tissue iscut into smaller pieces and homogenized (10% w/v) in lysis buffer (100mM NaCl, 10 mM EDTA, 10 mM Tris, 0.5% deoxycholate, 0.5% NP-40, pH 7.4)and 1× Roche EDTA-free Complete Protease Inhibitor (Roche) solution witha pellet-pestle homogenizer. This homogenate is centrifuged at 2000×g;the supernatant is referred to as the ‘soluble fraction’ and the pelletfraction is referred to as the ‘insoluble fraction’. Tissue homogenatesare immediately aliquoted and frozen at −80° C. prior to use. Forexperiments with the insoluble fraction, the pellet is resuspended inlysis buffer. Protein concentration is determined using the BCA proteinassay (Pierce). 100 μg of protein, diluted to 1 ml with PBS containing1× protease inhibitors is immunoprecipitated with 5-μg of a monoclonalantibody that bind to epitopes selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 coupled to Dynabeads M-280 Tosyl-activatedmagnetic beads (Dynal Biotech, Oslo, Norway) according to themanufacturer's instructions.

Antibodies that bind to epitopes selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 include SEDI SOD (anti-DSE1) disclosed in U.S.Patent Application No. 60/741,462. This antibody is specific for theepitope comprising the sequence RLACGVIGI.

Briefly, 100 μg of SEDI SOD IgG is dialyzed against 3 changes of PBS.This is incubated with 300 μl of pre-washed stock magnetic beads in PBSat 4° C. for a minimum of 96 hrs. This is followed by blocking with 0.1%BSA in 0.2M Tris, pH 8.5 for 24 hrs at 4° C. In an alternative protocol,Protein G sepharose beads (Sigma) are used to precipitate SEDI SOD IgG.

In an alternative protocol, other antibodies that bind to epitopesselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 are usedin the immunoprecipitation experiments, including the epitopes disclosedin WO 2005/019828 (DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS and NPLSRKHGGPKDEE), andantibodies thereto, raised for instance as described in U.S. PatentApplication No. 60/778,379, filed Mar. 3, 2006, and the epitopesdisclosed in Khare et al. (8) (IKGLTEGLHGF and HCIIGRTLWH).

Example 17 Immunoprecipitation and Detection of Misfolded SOD1 fromBrain Tissue

Brain tissues from a normal human patient, a wildtype mouse, atransgenic mouse over-expressing wildtype human SOD1 and a G93A modelmouse for ALS, expressing a misfolded form of SOD1 were obtained. Thesamples were immediately frozen on dry ice and weighed. Frozen tissuewas cut into smaller pieces and homogenized (10% w/v) in lysis buffer(100 mM NaCl, 10 mM EDTA, 10 mM Tris, 0.5% deoxycholate, 0.5% NP-40, pH7.4) and 1× Roche EDTA-free Complete Protease Inhibitor (Roche) solutionwith a pellet-pestle homogenizer. This homogenate was centrifuged at2000×g; the supernatant was referred to as the ‘soluble fraction’ andthe pellet fraction was referred to as the ‘insoluble fraction’. Tissuehomogenates were immediately aliquoted and frozen at −80° C. prior touse. For experiments with the insoluble fraction, the pellet wasresuspended in lysis buffer. Protein concentration was determined usingthe BCA protein assay (Pierce). 100 μg of protein, diluted to 1 ml withPBS containing 1× protease inhibitors was immunoprecipitated with 5-10μg of a monoclonal antibody that bound to DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS, an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1, coupledto Dynabeads M-280 Tosyl-activated magnetic beads (Dynal Biotech, Oslo,Norway) according to the manufacturer's instructions.

For immunoblotting, an antibody directed to DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS was usedto detect SOD1 from cellular proteins of brain tissue samples that havebeen resolved by gel electrophoresis.

As demonstrated in FIG. 4, an antibody directed to DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS(DSE2) immunoprecipitated a misfolded form of SOD1 in brain tissues ofG93A mutant mice, and to a much lesser extent over-expressed wildtypehuman SOD1. This antibody did not immunoprecipitate native forms ofmouse or human SOD1. However, the antibody directed to DSE2 recognizeddenatured human and mouse SOD1 by direct immunoblotting.

In an alternative protocol, other antibodies that bind to epitopesselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 are usedin the immunoprecipitation experiments, including the epitopes disclosedin WO 2005/019828 (NPLSRKHGGPKDEE), and antibodies thereto, raised forinstance as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 60/778,379, filedMar. 3, 2006, and the epitopes disclosed in Khare et al. (8)(IKGLTEGLHGF and HCIIGRTLVVH).

Example 18 Immunohistochemistry of Brain Tissue

Brain tissue from patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease or ALS, and matched-controls are obtained. Thesamples are incubated with 10% methanol free phosphate buffered formalin(Fisher Scientific). The tissue samples are dissected, paraffin-embeddedand 61m sections cut either longitudinally or transversely using arotary microtome. All sections for immunohistochemistry are treated with3% H₂O₂ (v/v) and 10 mM sodium citrate buffer, pH 6.0 prior to labeling.Antibodies that bind to epitopes selectively presented or accessible innon-native forms of SOD1 are used. In all cases primary antibodies areleft to react overnight at 4° C. Sections are developed using theDakoCytomation Envison™ System according to the manufacturer'sinstructions using 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) as chromagen. Fordouble-labeling the DakoCytomation Envison™ DoubleStain kit is used withnitro-blue tetrazolium (NBT) as chromagen. Stained sections arevisualized using a Leica DM 6000 microscope and digital images areobtained with a Micropublisher 3.3 RTV digital color camera (Qimaging).

Example 19 Immunohistochemistry of Brain Tissue from Alzheimer's Disease

Tissues were prepared by formalin fixing and were embedded in paraffin.Tissues were sectioned (4 microns), mounted on charged microscope slidesand heated in a tissue drying oven for 45 minutes at 60° C. Slides weredeparafiinized by washing slides in xylene (3×5 mins) and rehydrated bywashing slides in decreasing concentrations of alcohol (3×3 mins using100% alcohol; 2×3 mins using 95% alcohol; 1×3 mins using 80% alcohol)and distilled water. Slides were steamed in 0.01 M sodium citratebuffer, at pH 6.0 at 99-100° C. for 20 mins and incubated at RT for 20mins. Slides were rinsed in 1×TBS with Tween (TBST) for 1 minute at RT.

Slides were incubated with a protein block for 20 mins, probed withprimary antibody for 45 minutes, and rinsed with TBST. Slides wereincubated with a biotinylated secondary antibody for 30 min and thenrinsed with TBST. Slides were next incubated in alkaline phosphatasestreptavidin for 30 minutes, rinsed in TBST and incubated with substratefor 30 mins. After rinsing in distilled water, slides were examined bymicroscopy.

Brain hippocampus tissue from the autopsy of a 78 year old femalepatient diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and—control normalhippocampus tissue from a 52 year old female were obtained. The sampleswere incubated with 10% methanol free phosphate buffered formalin(Fisher Scientific). The tissue samples were dissected,paraffin-embedded and 6 μm sections cut either longitudinally ortransversely using a rotary microtome. All sections forimmunohistochemistry were treated with 3% H₂O₂ (v/v) and 10 mM sodiumcitrate buffer, pH 6.0 prior to labeling. An antibody specific for theAlzheimer's disease-specific eptiope DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2) was usedas the primary antibody to stain the tissue sections at a concentrationof 5 μg/ml (FIG. 5). The antibodies were left to react overnight at 4°C. Sections were developed using the DakoCytomation Envison™ Systemaccording to the manufacturer's instructions using 3,3′-diaminobenzidine(DAB) as chromagen. For double-labeling the DakoCytomation Envison™DoubleStain kit was used with nitro-blue tetrazolium (NBT) as chromagen.Stained sections were visualized using a Leica DM 6000 microscope anddigital images were obtained with a Micropublisher 3.3 RTV digital colorcamera (Qimaging). The hippocampus section obtained from a 78-year-oldfemale with late-stage Alzheimer's disease showed strong staining ofsenile plaques in the Alzheimer's brain with the antibody directedagainst DSE2 (FIG. 5B, left panel), as well as increased staining withinsubsets of neurons in the Alzheimer's hippocampus section (FIG. 5B,right panel) compared to the normal hippocampus (FIG. 5A).

These data demonstrate misfolded SOD1 is present intracellularly andextracellularly in brains of Alzheimer's patients and that the antibodydirected against the DSE2 epitope CDLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS recognizesmisfolded SOD1 proteins found in the brains of Alzheimer's diseasepatients.

Example 20 Immunohistochemistry of Brain Tissue from Parkinson's Disease

Tissues were prepared by formalin fixing and were embedded in paraffin.Tissues were sectioned (4 microns), mounted on charged microscope slidesand heated in a tissue drying oven for 45 minutes at 60° C. Slides weredeparafiinized by washing slides in xylene (3×5 mins) and rehydrated bywashing slides in decreasing concentrations of alcohol (3×3 mins using100% alcohol; 2×3 mins using 95% alcohol; 1×3 mins using 80% alcohol)and distilled water. Slides were steamed in 0.01 M sodium citratebuffer, at pH 6.0 at 99-100° C. for 20 mins and incubated at RT for 20mins. Slides were rinsed in 1×TBS with Tween (TBST) for 1 minute at RT.

Slides were incubated with a protein block for 20 mins, probed withprimary antibody for 45 minutes, and rinsed with TBST. Slides wereincubated with a biotinylated secondary antibody for 30 min and thenrinsed with TBST. Slides were next incubated in alkaline phosphatasestreptavidin for 30 minutes, rinsed in TBST and incubated with substratefor 30 mins. After rinsing in distilled water, slides were examined bymicroscopy.

A brain sample was obtained from a 79-year-old female with dementia. TheH&E-stained section (FIG. 6, panel A) showed substantia nigra withdopaminergic neurons that showed occasional Lewy bodies consistent withParkinson's disease. The anti-DSE2 antibody showed mostly negative torare faint staining in pigmented and non-pigmented neurons within thesubstantia nigra (FIG. 6, panel B, C, D, and E). Lewy bodies werenegative (FIG. 6, panel B). Adjacent neuropil was faintly positive, andastrocytes were faintly to occasionally moderately positive. Corporaamylacea were strongly positive. This sample showed rare senile plaquesin the adjacent gray matter that were strongly positive (FIG. 6, panelF). Adjacent serial sections were evaluated in the absence of primaryantibody as a control and were all negative.

These data demonstrate misfolded SOD1 is present in brains ofParkinson's patients and that the antibody directed against the DSE2epitope DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS recognizes misfolded SOD1 proteins found inthe brains of Parkinsons's disease patients.

Example 21 Immunoreactivity of SOD1 DSE2 in Disease

The inventors have detected DSE2 immunoreactivity in all types of ALS(sporadic forms, as well as SOD1 familial ALS and familial ALS withoutSOD1 mutations). Immunoreactivity is detectable as discrete densedeposits within some spinal cord motor neurons, including motor axons inthe ventral root, as well as extracellular punctuate deposits within theanterior horns of the spinal cord, and within motor tract axons.

Moreover, DSE2 immunoreactivity is detectable intracellularly inhippocampal neurons in AD but not normal aged-matched individuals.Moreover, DSE2 immunoreactivity is also noted in regionally diffuse insenile plaques and punctuate deposits extracellularly in thehippocampus. Extracellular misfolded SOD1 in neurodegenerative diseasesis clearly a target for immunotherapy, which may “neutralize” the toxicactivity of the misfolded species by accelerating degradation bymicroglia, and/or by blocking abnormal enzymatic activity of thismisfolded protein.

Example 22 ALS-Specific Epitope Immunization of ALS Model Mice

This study shows that vaccination with specific peptide sequences fromthe enzyme superoxide dismutase one (SOD1) prevents theneurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Transgenic mice expressing human mutant SOD1 G93A and G37R are immunizedIP with KLH-coupled amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific epitope andcontrol peptides every month prior to motor neuron disease onset (4months and 6 months, respectively). Delay or abrogation of SODaggregation and disease onset occurs for therapeutically activeepitopes, and potential autoimmune manifestations for the amyotrophiclateral sclerosis-specific epitopes and control epitopes are monitored.

These methods are used with G93A and G37R model mice. G93A and G37Rmodel mice express certain mutant forms of the human SOD1 protein anddevelop an ALS-like disease clinically and neuropathologically.Seventy-two of each model mice are used for this study. Seven differentALS-specific peptide epitopes to non-native forms of SOD1 are tested andcompared to 2 control groups (one untreated, and one treated withadjuvant alone). Each group consisted of 8 animals.

Four-week old hemizygous transgenic mice (transgene and copy numberconfirmed by PCR and southern blot) are randomized into one of ninegroups for immunization: no immunization (NI); Keyhole limpet hemocyanin(KLH) alone plus adjuvant; or one of seven SOD1 DSE peptide sequences.All peptides are synthesized, purified and coupled to KLH usingSMCC-Sulfolink. All mice are immunized initially via intraperitoneal(IP) injection with 100 μg of KLH-coupled peptide or KLH alone,emulsified 1:1 in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA), in a total volumeinjected of 100 μl. Three weeks later the mice are given a subcutaneousinjection of KLH-coupled peptide emulsified in incomplete Freund'sadjuvant (IFA). Thereafter, mice are given monthly subcutaneousinjections of KLH-coupled peptide emulsified in IFA. After 4immunizations, 100 μl of blood is collected from the saphenous vein, andplasma antibody titers are determined.

Animals are weighed 2-3 times per week. Leg extension reflex is assessedwhen animals are lifted by the base of the tail and removed from theircage for weighing. Reduction in leg extension is an early deficitobserved in mutant SOD1 transgenic mice. Mice behaviour is monitoredweekly using open field testing (EthoVision, Noldus InformationTechnology, Leesburg, Va., USA) and gait analysis is done weekly usingDigiGait. Initial behavioral and gait assessments are completed justprior to the first immunization and serve as baseline data.

Brain, spinal cord and other non-CNS organ systems are analyzedpostmortem for morphological and biochemical indices ofneurodegeneration.

Animals are weighed and monitored regularly for adverse effects such assigns of pain and distress that might be a result of the immunizations.Autoimmunity is also monitored.

Vaccination with ALS-specific peptide epitopes prevents theneurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Delay orabrogation of SOD aggregation and disease onset occurs fortherapeutically active epitopes, and not for controls.

Example 23 ALS-Specific Epitope Immunization of ALS Model Mice

Four-week old G93A or G37R model are randomized into one of seven groupsfor immunization: saline; Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH); DSE1; DSE1a;DSE2; DSE5; and DSE1a+DSE2+DSE5. All peptides are conjugated to KLH. Allimmunization are administered in conjunction with a pharmaceuticallyacceptable excipient.

Animals are assessed for changes in leg extension reflex, behaviour andgait. Brain, spinal cord and other non-CNS organ systems are analyzedpostmortem for morphological and biochemical indices ofneurodegeneration.

Vaccination with a nucleic acid encoding an ALS specific epitopeprevents the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS). Delay or abrogation of SOD aggregation and disease onset occursfor therapeutically active nucleic acids, and not for controls.

Example 24 Immunization of ALS Model Mice with Nucleic Acid

Four-week old G93A and G37R model mice are randomized for immunizationwith a nucleic acids encoding an ALS-specific epitope or an unrelatedcontrol nucleic acid. All nucleic acids are administered with apharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

Animals are assessed for changes in leg extension reflex, behaviour andgait. Brain, spinal cord and other non-CNS organ systems are analyzedpostmortem for morphological and biochemical indices ofneurodegeneration.

Vaccination with a nucleic acid encoding an ALS specific epitopeprevents the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS). Delay or abrogation of SOD aggregation and disease onset occursfor therapeutically active nucleic acids, and not for controls.

Example 25 ALS-Specific Epitope Antibody Infusion of ALS Model Mice

G93A and G37R mice are infused intravenously (IV) with monoclonalantibodies directed against the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specificepitopes upon disease onset, to more closely model ALS immunotherapy.Slowing or arrest of SOD aggregation and disease progression occurs fortherapeutically active antibodies, with no effect from isotype controlantibodies. Autoimmunity is monitored for the amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitope and control antibodies, includingnative-exposed epitope.

G93A and G37R model mice express certain mutant forms of the human SOD1protein and develop an ALS-like disease clinically andneuropathologically. Thirty-two mice of each strain are used for thisstudy, with 8 mice randomized to each of 2 antibodies directed to anepitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1treatment groups and 2 control groups. Eight-week old mice arerandomized into one of 4 groups: 1. An antibody directed to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 injectedintraperitoneal (IP); 2. An antibody directed to an epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 infusedintra-cerebroventricular (ICV); 3. PBS injected IP (control); and 4.Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) infused ICV (control).

Mice receive weekly IP injections of 1 ml of purified antibody in PBS(250 μL/ml) or PBS alone. For ICV infusion, mice are anaesthetized withisoflurane gas delivered by a nosepiece, and implanted with mini-osmoticpumps (Alzet model no. 2004; length: 3 cm, total volume: 200 uL, flowrate: 0.25 uL/hr). This pump provides steady infusion of 0.125 ug/hr (atotal of 25 ug per week) for at least 4 weeks. Pumps containing eitherpurified DSE2 antibody or PBS are fitted to a brain infusion kit (Alzetbrain infusion kit 3), using a cannula placed in the third ventricle.Pumps are replaced after 4 weeks of use.

Mice are weighed and assessed for motor function and behaviour prior toIP injections or implantation of pumps to serve as baseline data.Thereafter these tests are performed once per week. Tests include:

a.) HINDLIMB EXTENSION REFLEX: Reduction in hindlimb extension whenanimals are lifted by the tail is an early deficit observed in mutantSOD1 transgenic mice. Animals are lifted by the base of the tail andhindlimb extension and postural reflexes and scored. Score 3 indicatesfull extension and normal postural reflex. Score 2 indicates moderateextension and normal postural reflex. Score 1 indicates poor extensionand postural reflex. Score 0 indicates no hindlimb movement.

b.) OPEN FIELD TESTING: Open field testing are done weekly usingEthoVision Pro Version 3.1 (Noldus Information Technology, Leesburg,Va., USA). Animals are placed in an enclosed circular arena (50 cmdiameter) with an open top and recorded for approximately 5 minutes withan overhead digital video camera. A number of behavioural parameters arequantified offline. Four animals are monitored simultaneously inseparate arenas.

c.) GAIT ANALYSIS: Gait analysis are done weekly using DigiGait (MouseSpecifics, Boston, Mass., USA). Changes in paw placement and stridelength are reported as being the earliest functional changes observed inG93A B6.Cg-Tg SOD1 transgenic mice, as assessed using DigiGait.

At 12 weeks of age, 100 μl of blood are collected from the mice via thesaphenous vein and plasma antibody titers are determined. For ICVtreated mice, blood is collected under anaesthesia when pumps arereplaced. IP treated mice are also anaesthetized with isoflurane tofacilitate blood collection.

Animals are weighed and monitored regularly for adverse effects such assigns of pain and distress for the duration of the study. Animals thatappear to be in pain are administered Buprenorphine.

Brain, spinal cord and other non-CNS organ systems are analyzedpostmortem for morphological and biochemical indices ofneurodegeneration

Injection or infusion of antibodies directed to an epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 is effective intreating the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS). Treatment of G93A and G37R model mice these mice via injection orinfusion of antibodies directed to an epitope selectively presented oraccessible in non-native forms of SOD1 have: neutralized and clearedmutant SOD1; prevented the formation of SOD1 aggregates; delayed theonset of disease; and/or slowed progression of the disease.

Example 26 Treatment of G93A Mice with DSE2 Antibody

G93A model mice were infused with a monoclonal antibodies directedagainst the DSE2 peptide sequence. G93A model mice express a mutantforms of the human SOD1 protein and develop an ALS-like diseaseclinically and neuropathologically. The antibody was administered eitherby intracebroventricular (ICV) infusion, using a brain catheter (Alzet®Catheters) and a subcutaneously implanted pump (Alzet® Osmotic Pumps),or by intraperitoneal injection of anti-DSE2 antibody.

For ICV infusion, 8 animals were randomly assigned to either thetreatment group (4 animals) or the control group (4 animals). Fortreatment, Alzet pumps were filled with 200 ul antibody solution (0.5 to0.6 mg/ml) in saline, or saline alone for control. Antibody wasdelivered at a flow rate of 0.125 ug/hr for 4 weeks. 2 additional micewere infused by intraperitoneal (IP) injection with 1 mg anti-DSE2antibody, followed by 3 additional injections of 1 mg anti-DSE2 antibodyin saline solution in weekly intervals. 2 mice were control injectedwith saline solution without antibody.

Disease progression in treated and untreated mice was monitored usinggait analysis (DigiGait, Mouse Specifics Inc, Boston, Mass.). Digigaitanalysis allows for highly accurate measurement of changes in gaitparameters in this mouse model that allow for a very accurate andobjective assessment of disease progression (Wooley C M, Sher R B, KaleA, Frankel W N, Cox G A, Seburn K L.; Gait analysis detects earlychanges in transgenic SOD1 (G93A) mice. Muscle Nerve. 2005 July;32(1):43-50). As disease progresses, stride time increases. Theinventors have found that the stride time is a sensitive parameter tomeasure disease progression.

Table 11 shows the results of stride time measurements using Digigaitanalysis of treated animals after 25 days of treatment (IP injection)and 28 to 35 days of treatment (ICV infusion). Stride time is measuredin seconds and averaged over the length of the study and all four paws.Stride time averaged 0.3238 second in control ICV infused. Diseaseprogression, as measured by stride time is significantly, delayed after35 days of treatment. Stride time is less in treated animals and isreduced to 0.2988 seconds. Stride time is also improved in IP injectedmice. Stride time averaged 0.3366 s for control animals and improved to0.3206 s after 28 days treatment.

For comparison and to demonstrate the effect of disease progression, thestride time for untreated mice at an average of 66 and 122 days of agewas determined (animal age in the same range as treatment groups). At 66days, untreated mice have an average stride time of 0.3254 s (STDEV0.0313). At 122 days stride time has increased to 0.3492 s (STDEV0.0288) Clearly, in the absence of treatment, this parameter increaseswith high statistical significance. The inventors found that bothmethods of treatment reverse the lengthening of the stride time that isobserved in the untreated animals over time. This demonstrates theefficacy of this antibody treatment to reverse the disease associatedphenotype of the ALS mouse model. TABLE 11 Delay in Disease Progression:Stride Time of Animals Treated with Disease Specific SOD1 AntibodiesStride Study Group Time (s) ICV Infusion Treatment Average 0.2988 sSTDEV 0.0044 Control Average 0.3238 s STDEV 0.0449 P value 4.30E−02 IPInjection Treatment Average 0.3206 s STDEV 0.0044 Control Average 0.3366s STDEV 0.0148 P value 1.82E−02 Disease Progression  66 days Average0.3254 s STDEV 0.0313 122 days Average 0.3492 s STDEV 0.0288 P value1.04E−05

Example 27 Immunization of TgCRND8 Transgenic Mice

The TgCRND8 mouse is a murine model of Alzheimer's disease. These miceexpress a mutant (K670N/M671L and V717F) human βAPP695 transgene underthe regulation of the Syrian hamster prion promoter on a C3H/B6 strainbackground. These mice have spatial learning defects at 3 months of agethat are accompanied by both increasing levels of SDS-soluble Aβ andincreasing numbers of Aβ-containing amyloid plaques in the brain. SeeJanus C et al. (65).

TgCRND8 mice are immunized IP with KLH-coupled to an epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 or a control peptideat 6, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks.

The mice are tested in a reference memory version of the Morris watermaze test at 11, 15, 19 and 23 weeks (See Janus C et al. (65); Janus C(66); Gass P et al. (67); and Wehner J M (68)).

Delay or abrogation of SOD1 aggregation and disease onset occurs fortherapeutically active epitope, and autoimmune manifestations aremonitored.

In addition to SOD1 aggregation, deposition of cerebral fibrillar AP isassessed (See Janus C et al. (65)).

Example 28 Antibody Infusion of TgCRND8 Transgenic Mice

TgCRND8 mice are infused with antibodies that bind to epitopesselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 orisotype control antibodies. As described above, the mice are tested in areference memory version of the Morris water maze test.

Slowing or arrest of SOD1 aggregation and disease progression occurs fortherapeutically active antibodies, with no effect from isotype controlantibodies. Autoimmunity is monitored. In addition to SOD1 aggregation,deposition of cerebral fibrillar AP is assessed (See Janus C et al.(65)).

Example 29 Immunization of TgCRND8 Transgenic Mice with Nucleic Acid

The TgCRND8 mouse is a murine model of Alzheimer's disease. These miceexpress a mutant (K670N/M671L and V717F) human βAPP695 transgene underthe regulation of the Syrian hamster prion promoter on a C3H/B6 strainbackground. These mice have spatial learning defects at 3 months of agethat are accompanied by both increasing levels of SDS-soluble Aβ andincreasing numbers of Aβ-containing amyloid plaques in the brain. SeeJanus C et al. (65).

TgCRND8 mice are immunized IP with KLH-coupled to a nucleic acidencoding an epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-nativeforms of SOD1 or a control nucleic acid at 6, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks.

The mice are tested in a reference memory version of the Morris watermaze test at 11, 15, 19 and 23 weeks (See Janus C et al. (65); Janus C(66); Gass P et al. (67); and Wehner J M (68)). In addition to SOD1aggregation, deposition of cerebral fibrillar Aβ can be assessed (SeeJanus C et al. (65)).

Vaccination with a nucleic acid encoding an epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 prevents Alzheimer'sdisease. Delay or abrogation of SOD1 aggregation and disease onsetoccurs for therapeutically active nucleic acid, and not for controls.

Example 30 Immunization of Hα-Syn Tg Mice

Heterozygous transgenic mice expressing hα-syn under regulatory controlof the platelet-derived growth factor-β promoter are used (Masliah E etal. (69)). These animals are used because they are a model forParkinson's disease and Lewy Body disease (Masliah E et al. 70)).

The hα-syn tg mice are immunized IP with KLH-coupled to an epitopeselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 or acontrol peptide at 2, 6, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks.

Delay or abrogation of SOD1 aggregation and disease onset occurs fortherapeutically active epitope, and autoimmune manifestations aremonitored. The progression of the disease is assessed by monitoring theaccumulation of hα-syn in the brain of the mice and clinical features ofneurological involvement (See Masliah E et al. (70)).

Example 31 Immunization of Hα-Syn Tg Mice with Nucleic Acid

Heterozygous transgenic mice expressing hα-syn under regulatory controlof the platelet-derived growth factor-β promoter are used (Masliah E etal. (69)). These animals are used because they are a model forParkinson's disease and Lewy Body disease (Masliah E et al. 70)).

The hα-syn transgenic mice are immunized IP with a nucleic acid encodingan epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1 or a control nucleic acid at 2, 6, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks.

The progression of the disease is assessed by monitoring theaccumulation of hα-syn in the brain of the mice and clinical features ofneurological involvement (See Masliah E et al. (70)).

Vaccination with a nucleic acid encoding an epitope selectivelypresented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 prevents Parkinson'sdisease. Delay or abrogation of SOD1 aggregation and disease onsetoccurs for therapeutically active nucleic acid, and not for controls.

Example 32 Antibody Infusion of Hα-syn tg Mice

The hα-syn tg mice are infused with antibodies that bind to epitopesselectively presented or accessible in non-native forms of SOD1 orisotype control antibodies.

Slowing or arrest of SOD1 aggregation and disease progression occurs fortherapeutically active antibodies, with no effect from isotype controlantibodies. Autoimmunity is monitored.

The progression of the disease is assessed by monitoring theaccumulation of hα-syn in the brain of the mice and clinical features ofneurological involvement (See Masliah E et al. (70)).

Example 33 Administration of Isolated Peptides to ALS Patients

Compositions comprising ALS-specific epitopes such as GGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG(DSE1a), DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2) and IKGLTEGLHGF (DSE5) areadministered to human ALS patients. The compositions are administered toALS patients.

Patients are monitored for indications of slowing or arrest of SODaggregation and disease progression.

Subjects are monitored regularly for adverse effects such as signs ofpain and distress that might be a result of the immunizations.Autoimmune manifestations are monitored.

Administration of the ALS-specific epitopes GGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG (DSE1a),DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2) and IKGLTEGLHGF (DSE5) slows the progressionof ALS. Slowing or arrest of SOD1 aggregation or abrogation of diseaseprogression occurs for therapeutically active epitopes.

Example 34 Administration to ALS Patients: Antibodies

Antibodies directed against the ALS-specific epitopes comprising ofGGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG (DSE1a), DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2) and IKGLTEGLHGF(DSE5) are administered to human ALS patients. The antibodies areadministered to the subjects at 6, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks.

Patients are monitored for indications of slowing or arrest of SODaggregation and disease progression. Autoimmune manifestations are alsomonitored.

Subjects are monitored regularly for adverse effects such as signs ofpain and distress that might be a result of the immunizations.Autoimmune manifestations are monitored.

Administration of antibodies directed against the ALS-specific epitopesGGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG (DSE1a), DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2) and IKGLTEGLHGF(DSE5) slows the progression of ALS. Slowing or arrest of SOD1aggregation or abrogation of disease progression occurs fortherapeutically active antibodies.

Example 35 Administration of Humanized Antibodies to ALS Patients

Humanized antibodies directed against amyotrophic lateralsclerosis-specific epitopes are administered to human ALS patients.Patients are monitored for indications of slowing or arrest of SODaggregation and disease progression. Administration of a humanizedantibody directed to a ALS disease specific epitope slows theprogression ALS disease in patients. Slowing or arrest of SOD1aggregation or abrogation of disease progression occurs fortherapeutically active antibodies.

Humanized antibodies directed against the ALS-specific epitopescomprising GGGRLAC*GVIGIGSG (DSE1a), DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2) andIKGLTEGLHGF (DSE5) peptides are administered to human ALS patients. Apharmaceutical composition comprising 1-140 grams (up to 2 grams/kilo)of the humanized antibodies is administered by intravenous infusion toproduce a local concentration that ranges from 1 to 10 micrograms per mlin the CNS. In one regimen, the formulation comprises an antibodydirected against one ALS-specific epitope. In another regimen, theformulation comprises two or more humanized antibodies, each directedagainst a different ALS-specific epitope. The dosing regimen will varyon the physiological condition of the patients and the response of thepatient to treatment. In one dosing regimen, the dosing is once every 3or 4 weeks. In other regimens, dosing is once per week, twice per week,three times per week, or once per 2 weeks.

Example 36 Intraventricular or Intrathecal Administration of HumanizedAntibodies to ALS Patients

Humanized antibodies against ALS-specific epitopes are directlyadministered into the CNS of ALS patients by intraventricular orintrathecal infusion using an infusion pump such as the infusion pumpsproduced by MedTronics (Minneapolis, Minn., USA). ALS patients areinfused with 0.5 to 5 mg per day of humanized antibody to obtain an endconcentration of 1-10 micrograms per ml in the CNS infused at a maximalrate of 1 ml/h. In one regimen, the formulation comprises an antibodydirected against one ALS-specific epitope. In another regimen, theformulation comprises two or more humanized antibodies, each directedagainst a different ALS-specific epitope.

When humanized antibodies are administered to ALS patients byintrathecal injection an equal volume of cerebrospinal fluid iswithdrawn through the same needle used for the injection to avoid anincrease in pressure due to the injection volume. Subjects are given adose that ranges from 1% to 10% of the corresponding systemic dose.Subjects receive a single dose of the humanized antibody formulation.Alternatively, subjects receive multiple doses of the humanized antibodyformulation. In one regimen, the formulation comprises an antibodydirected against one ALS-specific epitope. In another regimen, theformulation comprises two or more humanized antibodies, each directedagainst a different ALS-specific epitope. In alternate regimens, dosingis once per week, twice per week, three times per week, once every twoweeks, once every three weeks or once every month. In another regimen,the dosing varies depending on the physiological condition of thesubject and the response of the subject to the treatment.

Patients are monitored for indications of slowing or arrest of SODaggregation and disease progression. Administration of a humanizedantibody directed to a ALS disease specific epitope slows theprogression ALS disease in patients. Slowing or arrest of SOD1aggregation or abrogation of disease progression occurs fortherapeutically active antibodies.

Example 37 Administration to Alzheimer's Disease Patients: Epitopes

The Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2) isadministered to human Alzheimer's disease patients. The epitopes areadministered to.

Patients are monitored for indications of slowing or arrest of SODaggregation and disease progression. In particular, the memory of thesubjects is tested and their behaviour is monitored. Autoimmunemanifestations are also monitored.

Subjects are monitored regularly for adverse effects such as signs ofpain and distress that might be a result of the immunizations.Autoimmune manifestations are also monitored.

Administration of the Alzheimer's disease-specific epitopeDLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2) slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease.Slowing or arrest of SOD1 aggregation or abrogation of diseaseprogression occurs for therapeutically active epitopes.

Example 38 Administration to Alzheimer's Disease Patients: Antibodies

An antibody directed against the Alzheimer's disease-specific epitopeDLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2) is administered to human Alzheimer's diseasepatients.

Patients are monitored for indications of slowing or arrest of SODaggregation and disease progression. In particular, the memory of thesubjects is tested and their behaviour is monitored. Autoimmunemanifestations are also monitored.

Subjects are monitored regularly for adverse effects such as signs ofpain and distress that might be a result of the immunizations.Autoimmune manifestations are monitored.

Administration of an antibody directed to the Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitope DLGKGGNEESTKTGNAGS (DSE2) slows the progressionof Alzheimer's disease. Slowing or arrest of SOD1 aggregation orabrogation of disease progression occurs for therapeutically activeantibodies.

Example 39 Administration of Humanized Antibodies to Alzheimer's DiseasePatients

Humanized antibodies directed against Alzheimer's disease-specificepitopes are administered to human Alzheimer's disease patients. Thehumanized antibodies are administered by intravenous infusion at aconcentration that ranges from 1 to 10 micrograms per ml localconcentration in the CNS. In one regimen, the formulation comprises anantibody directed against one Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope. Inanother regimen, the formulation comprises two or more humanizedantibodies, each directed against a different Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitope. In one dosing regimen, the dosing is onceevery 3 weeks. In other regimens, dosing is once per week, twice perweek, three times per week, or once per 2 weeks. Alternatively, dosingvaries depending on the physiological condition of the patients and theresponse of the patient to treatment.

Alternatively, humanized antibodies against Alzheimer's disease-specificepitope are directly administered into the CNS of Alzheimer's diseasepatients by intraventricular or intrathecal infusion. MedTronics(Minneapolis, Minn., USA) provides medical devices for use in thisexample. The end concentration of 1-10 micrograms per ml is achieved byinfusion of as much as 5 mg of the humanized antibody per day at amaximal rate of 1 ml/h. In one regimen, the formulation comprises anantibody directed against one Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope. Inanother regimen, the formulation comprises two or more humanizedantibodies, each directed against a different Alzheimer'sdisease-specific epitope.

Humanized antibodies are administered to Alzheimer's disease patients byintrathecal injection. To avoid an increase in pressure due to theinjection volume, an equal volume of cerebrospinal fluid is withdrawnthrough the same needle used for the injection. Subjects are given adose that ranges from 1% to 10% of the corresponding systemic dose.Subjects receive a single dose of the humanized antibody formulation.Alternatively, subjects receive multiple doses of the humanized antibodyformulation. In one regimen, the formulation comprises an antibodydirected against one Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope. In anotherregimen, the formulation comprises two or more humanized antibodies,each directed against a different Alzheimer's disease-specific epitope.In alternate regimens, dosing is once per week, twice per week, threetimes per week, once every two weeks, once every three weeks or onceevery month. In another regimen, the dosing varies depending on thephysiological condition of the subject and the response of the subjectto the treatment.

Patients are monitored for indications of slowing or arrest of SODaggregation and disease progression. Administration of a humanizedantibody directed to a Alzheimer's disease specific epitope slows theprogression of Alzheimer's disease in patients. Slowing or arrest ofSOD1 aggregation or abrogation of disease progression occurs fortherapeutically active antibodies.

Example 40 Administration to Parkinson's Disease Patients: Epitopes

A Parkinson's disease specific epitope is administered to humanParkinson's disease patients.

Patients are monitored for indications of slowing or arrest of SODaggregation and disease progression. In particular, the gait, reflex andbehaviour of subjects are monitored. Autoimmune manifestations are alsomonitored.

Subjects are monitored regularly for adverse effects such as signs ofpain and distress that might be a result of the immunizations.

Administration of a Parkinson's disease specific epitope slows theprogression of Parkinson's disease. Slowing or arrest of SOD1aggregation or abrogation of disease progression occurs fortherapeutically active epitopes,

Example 41 Administration to Parkinson's Disease Patients: Antibodies

An antibody directed against a Parkinson's disease specific epitope isadministered to human Parkinson's disease patients.

Patients are monitored for indications of slowing or arrest of SODaggregation and disease progression. In particular, the gait, reflex andbehaviour of subjects are monitored. Autoimmune manifestations are alsomonitored.

Subjects are and monitored regularly for adverse effects such as signsof pain and distress that might be a result of the immunizations.Administration of an antibody directed to a Parkinson's disease specificepitope slows the progression of Parkinson's disease in patients.Slowing or arrest of SOD1 aggregation or abrogation of diseaseprogression occurs for therapeutically active antibodies

Example 42 Administration of Humanized Antibodies to Parkinson's DiseasePatients

Humanized antibodies directed against Parkinson's disease-specificepitopes are administered to human Parkinson's disease patients. Thehumanized antibodies are administered by intravenous infusion at aconcentration that ranges from 1 to 10 micrograms per ml localconcentration in the CNS. In one regimen, the formulation comprises anantibody directed against one Parkinson's disease-specific epitope. Inanother regimen, the formulation comprises two or more humanizedantibodies, each directed against a different Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitope. In one dosing regimen, the dosing is onceevery 3 weeks. In other regimens, dosing is once per week, twice perweek, three times per week, or once per 2 weeks. Alternatively, dosingvaries depending on the physiological condition of the patients and theresponse of the patient to treatment.

Alternatively, humanized antibodies against Parkinson's disease-specificepitopes are directly administered into the CNS of Parkinson's diseasepatients by intraventricular or intrathecal infusion. MedTronics(Minneapolis, Minn., USA) provides medical devices for use in thisexample. The end concentration of 1-10 micrograms per ml is achieved byinfusion of as much as 5 mg of the humanized antibody per day at amaximal rate of 1 ml/h. In one regimen, the formulation comprises anantibody directed against one Parkinson's disease-specific epitope. Inanother regimen, the formulation comprises two or more humanizedantibodies, each directed against a different Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitope.

Humanized antibodies against Parkinson's disease-specific epitopes areadministered to Parkinson's disease patients by intrathecal injection.To avoid an increase in pressure due to the injection volume, an equalvolume of cerebrospinal fluid is withdrawn through the same needle usedfor the injection. Subjects are given a dose that ranges from 1% to 10%of the corresponding systemic dose. Subjects receive a single dose ofthe humanized antibody formulation. Alternatively, subjects receivemultiple doses of the humanized antibody formulation. In one regimen,the formulation comprises an antibody directed against one Parkinson'sdisease-specific epitope. In another regimen, the formulation comprisestwo or more humanized antibodies, each directed against a differentParkinson's disease-specific epitope. In alternate regimens, dosing isonce per week, twice per week, three times per week, once every twoweeks, once every three weeks or once every month. In another regimen,the dosing varies depending on the physiological condition of thesubject and the response of the subject to the treatment.

Patients are monitored for indications of slowing or arrest of SODaggregation and disease progression. Administration of a humanizedantibody directed to a Parkinson's disease specific epitope slows theprogression of Parkinson's disease in patients. Slowing or arrest ofSOD1 aggregation or abrogation of disease progression occurs fortherapeutically active antibodies.

Example 43 Breeding of ALS Mice Models G93A and G37R

Founder hemizygous male G93A and G37R animals will be bred withwild-type female mice of the same background strain (C57BL/6). Femaleswere not bred more than 6 times. Heterozygous G93A males were retired asbreeders at 3 months of age, heterozygous G37R mice were retired asbreeders at 6 months of age.

Fifteen hemizygous G93A (or G37R) male mice and 30 C57BL/6 female miceformed 15 breeding trios. Two female mice were initially housedtogether, and estrus were induced by exposing the females to the dirtybedding of their mate (Whitten effect). The next day, the females wereintroduced into the male cages (2 females per male). Females werechecked each morning for plugs.

Offspring were identified with ear punching at 3 weeks of age, and thepunched tissue was used for genotyping, and to determine transgene copynumber. If ear punches did not provide sufficient material forgenotyping and testing for transgene copy number, then tail clipping wasperformed.

Weaning took place when offspring were 3 weeks old, and hemizygous micewere randomized to experimental treatment groups.

After weaning, animals were kept 4 per cage.

A similar breeding program was used for both strains, with appropriateadjustments for survival of hemizygous animals that develop diseasephenotypes (G93A survival ˜145 days, G37R survival ˜335 days).

G93A heterozygote mice developed hindlimb predominant weakness at aboutage 100 days. Weakness progressed to a point of hindlimb paralysis, andanimals were not be able to feed or drink (i.e. unable to reach theirfood and water). This point was observed around 145 days. At this point,animals were euthanized. Animals were euthanized earlier, if their bodyweight decreased by 20%, or if they displayed other signs of seriousmorbidity.

The G37R transgene caused similar clinical signs as the G93A transgene,however age at onset of weakness in heterozygotes was about 300 days,from which point weakness progressed to hindlimb paralysis. Endpointswere the same as for the G93A mice, however endpoints were usually metaround 335 days in the G37R (line 29) transgenic.

Breeding mice were weighed weekly and were euthanized if they lost 15%or more of their body weight. However, weight loss less than 15%combined with other signs of serious morbidity ie. ruffled fur, hunchedappearance, obvious dehydration, etc., were considered a humane endpointfor these animals.

Example 44 Development of ALS Propagation Models

In ALS, as in prion disease, neuronal death “spreads” throughout theneuroaxis, implicating a pathological mechanism for propagation of thepathological process from cell to cell. A model is developed of SOD1misfolding propagation in cell-free systems, in cellular assays invitro, and in animals based on similar model systems in prion disease.These models provide more “disease relevant” systems for testingimmunotherapies, and will circumvent the potential false negative andfalse positive outcomes of current models.

Biological deposits of hybridoma cell lines were made in accordance withthe Budapest Treaty and are available from the International DepositoryAuthority of Canada 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg, Canada R3E 3R2.

While the present invention has been described with reference to whatare presently considered to be the preferred examples, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed examples.To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover variousmodifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

All publications, patents and patent applications are hereinincorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as ifeach individual publication, patent or patent application wasspecifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by referencein its entirety.

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1. A method for treating a medical condition, disease, or disordermediated by a misfolded form of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) in asubject in need of treatment, the method comprising administering to thesubject a composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicleand an agent selected from (1) an exogenous antibody or fragment thereofthat binds selectively to the misfolded form of SOD1, and/or (2) animmunogen that elicits production of an endogenous antibody that bindsselectively to the misfolded form of SOD1, and/or (3) a nucleic acidsequence encoding (1) or (2).
 2. The method according to claim 1,wherein the medical condition, disease or disorder is aneurodegenerative condition, disease or disorder.
 3. The methodaccording to claim 2, wherein the neurodegenerative condition, diseaseor disorder comprises ALS.
 4. The method according to claim 3, whereinthe ALS is sporadic ALS.
 5. The method according to claim 3 wherein theALS is familial ALS.
 6. The method according to claim 2 wherein theneurodegenerative condition, disease or disorder comprises Alzheimer'sdisease.
 7. The method according to claim 2 wherein theneurodegenerative condition, disease or disorder comprises Parkinson'sdisease.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the misfolded formof SOD1 comprises SOD1 monomer and/or an aggregate comprising SOD1monomer.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the SOD1 monomercomprises wild type SOD1 monomer.
 10. The method according to claim 1,wherein the antibody binds selectively to all or part of DSE1 epitope.11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the antibody bindsselectively to all or part of DSE1a epitope.
 12. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the antibody binds selectively to all or part of DSE4epitope.
 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the antibodycomprises a monoclonal, polyclonal, chimeric or humanized antibody. 14.The method according to claim 1, wherein the antibody fragment is a Fab,Fab′, F(ab′)₂, scFv, dsFv, ds-scFv, dimers, minibodies, diabodies, ormultimers thereof or bispecific antibody fragments.
 15. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the agent comprises an immunogen thatelicits endogenous antibody that binds selectively to SOD1 monomerand/or an aggregate comprising SOD monomer.
 16. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the immunogen comprises an isolated peptide or analogthereof corresponding to all or part of DSE1 epitope.
 17. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the immunogen comprises all or part of anisolated peptide or analog thereof corresponding to DSE1a epitope. 18.The method according to claim 1, wherein the immunogen comprises all orpart of an isolated peptide or analog thereof corresponding to DSE4epitope.
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent of (1) or (2) isconjugated to a molecule that enhances immunogenicity of the agent. 20.The method of claim 19, wherein the molecule comprises keyhole limpethemocyanin.
 21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the misfoldedform of SOD1 is misfolded SOD1 dimer.
 22. The method according to claim21, wherein the misfolded SOD1 dimer is wild type SOD1 dimer.
 23. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the agent comprises an exogenousantibody that binds selectively to an epitope presented by misfoldedSOD1 dimer.
 24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exogenousantibody binds all or part of DSE2 epitope.
 25. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the exogenous antibody binds all or part of DSE3. 26.The method according to claim 1, wherein the antibody binds all or partof DSE5 epitope.
 27. The method according to claim 1, wherein theantibody binds all or part of DSE6 epitope.
 28. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the antibody binds all or part of DSE7 epitope.
 29. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the agent comprises an immunogenthat elicits endogenous antibody that binds selectively to an epitopepresented by misfolded dimeric SOD1.
 30. The method according to claim1, wherein the immunogen comprises an isolated peptide or analog thereofcorresponding to all or part of DSE2 epitope.
 31. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein the immunogen comprises an isolated peptide oranalog thereof corresponding to all or part of DSE3 epitope.
 32. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the immunogen comprises an isolatedpeptide or analog thereof corresponding to all or part of DSE5 epitope.33. The method according to claim 1, wherein the immunogen comprises anisolated peptide or analog thereof corresponding to all or part of DSE6epitope.
 34. The method according to claim 1, wherein the immunogencomprises an isolated peptide or analog thereof corresponding to all orpart of DSE7 epitope.
 35. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent of(1) or (2) is conjugated to a molecule that enhances immunogenicity ofthe agent.
 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the molecule compriseskeyhole limpet hemocyanin.
 37. A pharmaceutical composition useful inthe treatment of a subject having a medical condition, disease, ordisorder mediated by a misfolded form of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1),the comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and an agentselected from (1) an exogenous antibody that binds selectively to amisfolded form of SOD1, and/or (2) an immunogen that elicits productionby said subject of endogenous antibody that binds selectively to amisfolded form of SOD1.
 38. The pharmaceutical composition according toclaim 37, wherein the misfolded form of SOD1 is SOD1 monomer and/or anaggregate comprising SOD1 monomer.
 39. The pharmaceutical compositionaccording to claim 38, wherein the SOD1 monomer is wild type SOD1monomer.
 40. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 37,wherein the exogenous antibody binds selectively to an epitope in theSOD1 dimer interface.
 41. The pharmaceutical composition according toclaim 37, wherein the exogenous antibody binds selectively to all orpart of DSE1 epitope.
 42. The pharmaceutical composition methodaccording to claim 37, wherein the exogenous antibody binds selectivelyto all or part of DSE1a epitope.
 43. The pharmaceutical compositionaccording to claim 37, wherein the exogenous antibody binds selectivelyto all or part of DSE4 epitope.
 44. The pharmaceutical compositionaccording to claim 37, wherein the immunogen elicits endogenous antibodythat binds selectively to SOD1 monomer and/or an aggregate thereof. 45.The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 37, wherein theimmunogen comprises an isolated peptide or analog thereof correspondingto all or part of DSE1 epitope.
 46. The pharmaceutical compositionaccording to claim 37, wherein the immunogen comprises an isolatedpeptide or analog thereof corresponding to all or part of DSE1a epitope.47. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 37, wherein theimmunogen comprises an isolated peptide or analog thereof correspondingto all or part of DSE4 epitope.
 48. The pharmaceutical compositionaccording to claim 37, wherein the misfolded form of SOD1 is misfoldedSOD1 dimer.
 49. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 48,wherein the misfolded SOD1 dimer is misfolded wild type SOD1 dimer. 50.The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 37, wherein the agentis an antibody that binds selectively to an epitope presented bymisfolded dimeric SOD1.
 51. The pharmaceutical composition methodaccording to claim 37, wherein the antibody binds all or part of DSE2epitope.
 52. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 37,wherein the exogenous antibody binds all or part of DSE3 epitope. 53.The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 37, wherein theexogenous antibody binds all or part of DSE5 epitope.
 54. Thepharmaceutical composition according to claim 37, wherein the exogenousantibody binds all or part of DSE6 epitope.
 55. The pharmaceuticalcomposition according to claim 37, wherein the exogenous antibody bindsall or part of DSE7 epitope.
 56. The pharmaceutical compositionaccording to claim 37, wherein the immunogen comprises all or part ofDSE2 epitope.
 57. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 37,wherein the immunogen comprises all or part of DSE3.
 58. Thepharmaceutical composition according to claim 37, wherein the immunogencomprises all or part of DSE5 epitope.
 59. The pharmaceuticalcomposition according to claim 37, wherein the immunogen comprises allor part of DSE6 epitope.
 60. The pharmaceutical composition according toclaim 37, wherein the immunogen comprises all or part of DSE7.
 61. Apharmaceutical composition according to claim 37, further comprising anadjuvant.
 62. A composition comprising an antibody that bindsselectively to a SOD1 epitope selected from all or part of DSE1, DSE1a,DSE2, DSE3, DSE4, DSE5, DSE6 and DSE7 epitope.
 63. The compositionaccording to claim 62, comprising an exogenous antibody produced by ahybridoma selected from accession nos. 280207-01, 220207-01 and220207-02.
 64. A process for preparing an antibody, comprising the stepsof (1) obtaining an immunogen comprising all or part of an isolatedpeptide or analog thereof corresponding to a DSE1a, DSE2, DSE3, DSE5 orDSE6 epitope and (2) immunizing a subject therewith.
 65. The processaccording to claim 64, further comprising forming antibody-producinghybridomas.
 66. A process for preparing an antibody, comprising thesteps of (1) obtaining an immunogen comprising all or part of anisolated peptide or analog thereof corresponding to a DSE1, DSE4 or DSE7epitope and (2) immunizing a subject therewith.
 67. The processaccording to claim 66, further comprising forming antibody-producinghybridomas.
 68. An immunogen comprising all or part of an isolatedpeptide sequence or analog thereof corresponding to an epitope selectedfrom DSE1a, DSE2, DSE3, DSE5 and DSE6 epitope.
 69. An immunogencomprising all or part of an isolated peptide sequence or analog thereofcorresponding to an epitope selected from DSE1, DSE4 and DSE7 epitope.70. An isolated peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of DSE1, DSE4or DSE7.
 71. An isolated peptide comprising the amino acid sequence ofDSE1a.
 72. An isolated antibody that binds selectively to an isolatedpeptide or analog thereof corresponding to DSE1a, DSE2, DSE3, DSE5 orDSE6 epitope.
 73. An isolated antibody that binds selectively to anisolated peptide or analog thereof corresponding to DSE1, DSE4 or DSE7epitope.
 74. A hybridoma selected from accession nos. 280207-01,220207-01 and 220207-02.
 75. A peptide or analog thereof that binds toan antibody produced by the hybridoma of claim
 74. 76. A process forproducing an antibody of claim 73 comprising the step of culturing ahybridoma according to claim
 74. 77. A composition comprising anisolated peptide or analog thereof corresponding to DSE1, DSE4 or DSE7epitope, and a carrier.
 78. A composition comprising an isolated peptideor analog thereof corresponding to DSE1a epitope, and a carrier.
 79. Amethod of eliciting an immune response in a subject by administering acomposition according to claims 77 or
 78. 80. A method of detecting ordiagnosing a subject having a medical condition, disease, or disordermediated by a misfolded form of superoxide dismutase (SOD1) in a subjectcomprising the steps of: (a) contacting a test sample of said subjectwith any one of the antibodies of claims 72 or 73, wherein the antibodybinds to an disease-specific epitope to produce an antibody-antigencomplex; (b) measuring the amount of the antibody-antigen complex in thetest sample; and (c) comparing the amount of antibody-antigen complex inthe test sample to a control; wherein a difference in the amount ofantibody-antigen complex in the test sample as compared to the controlis indicative of the subject having a medical condition, disease, ordisorder mediated by a misfolded form of superoxide dismutase (SOD1).81. The method of claim 80, wherein the disease-specific epitope isselectively presented or accessible to non-native forms of SOD1 andcomprises a peptide comprising all or part of the amino acid sequence ofany one of (SEQ ID NOS: 1-8).
 82. The method of claim 80, furthercomprising the step of desegregating SOD1 aggregates prior to step (a).83. The method of claim 80, wherein the medical condition, disease, ordisorder comprises Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Lewy BodyDisease or ALS.
 84. The method of claim 83, further comprising assessingthe subject using traditional diagnostic techniques for Alzheimer'sdisease.
 85. A kit for diagnosing a subject having a medical condition,disease, or disorder mediated by a misfolded form of superoxidedismutase (SOD1) comprising any one of the antibodies of claims 72 or 73and instructions for the use thereof.
 86. The kit of claim 85, whereinthe epitope selectively presented or accessible in non-native forms ofSOD1 comprises a peptide comprising all or part of an amino acidsequence of any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1-8.
 87. A diagnostic agentcomprising. (1) an antibody according to claim 72 or 73 attached to (2)a label that produces a detectable signal, directly or indirectly, thelabel optionally comprising a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, achemiluminescent compound, an enzyme, an imaging agent or a metal ion.88. The method of claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid sequence comprisesall or part of SEQ ID NOS:19-31.
 89. The method of claim 88, wherein thenucleic acid sequence is operably linked to a vector.
 90. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the nucleic acid sequence encodes an isolated peptideor analog thereof comprising all or part of SEQ ID NOS: 1-16.
 91. Themethod, pharmaceutical composition, antibody or peptide of any one ofclaims 10-12, 24-28, 41-43, 45-47, 51-60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 69, 72, 73,75, or 77-78, wherein the peptide or analog thereof is selected from thegroup consisting of all or part of SEQ ID NOS: 1-16.
 92. A nucleic acidsequence encoding an isolated peptide or analog thereof, comprising allor part of SEQ ID NOS: 1-16.